New Delhi:

For years, she stayed untouchable. But the law finally caught up with the ‘Lady Don’ of Delhi. Zoya Khan, the wife of notorious gangster Hashim Baba, was arrested for possessing 270 grams of heroin, worth approximately Rs 1 crore in the international market. 

Zoya, 33, had long been on the radar of law enforcement but always managed to stay a few steps ahead. She managed her jailed husband’s criminal empire by running his gang while ensuring that no direct evidence could link her to illegal activities. Despite suspicions about her role, the police had never been able to build a solid case — until now.

Hashim Baba has dozens of cases against him, ranging from murder and extortion to arms smuggling. Zoya Khan is his third wife. Before marrying Hashim Baba in 2017, Zoya was married to another man. After her divorce, she came into contact with Baba. The two were neighbours in North East Delhi where they fell in love. 

Empire Of Crime

After Baba was jailed, Zoya took over the gang’s operations. According to sources, Zoya’s role in her husband’s gang was that of Haseena Parkar, the sister of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who once controlled his illegal businesses. Sources in the Delhi Police Special Cell say that Zoya was deeply involved in managing extortion and drug supply.

Unlike a typical crime boss, Zoya maintained a certain image. She attended high-profile parties, flaunted expensive clothes, and indulged in luxury brands – details evident from her social media presence where she enjoys a large following. 

Zoya frequently visited her husband in Tihar Jail. Police sources say Baba trained her in coded language, giving her tips and advice on how to manage the gang’s finances and operations. She also maintained direct contact with his associates outside prison, as well as with other criminals.

For years, the Special Cell and Crime Branch of the Delhi Police struggled to catch her. This time, however, the Special Cell succeeded. Acting on intelligence, the police arrested Zoya in the Welcome area of North East Delhi. She was caught red-handed with a large quantity of heroin, allegedly sourced from Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar for further distribution.

The police suspect that Zoya also provided shelter to shooters involved in the Nadir Shah murder case. Mr Shah, a gym owner in South Delhi’s posh Greater Kailash-1 area, was shot dead in September 2024. Last month, she was interrogated at the Lodhi Colony office of the Special Cell in connection with the shooting. 

Family Background 

For Zoya, crime is a family enterprise. Her mother was jailed in 2024 for her alleged involvement in a sex trafficking ring. She is currently out on bail. Her father was linked to drug supply networks. Zoya herself operated from different locations in North East Delhi, particularly Usmanpur, always surrounded by 4-5 armed henchmen –loyalists of her gangster husband. 

The North East Delhi region has long been associated with criminal gangs, including the Chhenu gang, the Hashim Baba gang, and the Nasir Pehelwan gang, among others. While these groups initially focused on drug trafficking, their conflicts have resulted in a series of violent murders after 2007.

Baba’s gang amassed massive extortion revenue, much of which was funnelled to Zoya. 

Links To Lawrence Bishnoi

Baba’s name surfaced in the Nadir Shah murder case last year. While in Tihar Jail, he allegedly confessed to his role in the killing and implicated Lawrence Bishnoi – another jailed gangster who runs a massive network of shooters, involved in the murder of musician Sidhu Moose Wala and the firing incident outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s Mumbai residence. 

According to the police, Baba and Bishnoi developed ties during the former’s imprisonment in 2021. Despite being held in separate jails, they maintained contact through illicit phone lines and video calls, coordinating criminal activities from behind bars.

Patna:

Bihar Minister Santosh Kumar Singh claimed that he received a threatening call from notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.

The caller, who identified himself as Bishnoi, demanded Rs 30 lakh and warned Singh of a similar fate as NCP leader Baba Siddique, who was brutally murdered in Mumbai on October 12.

Mr Singh said that he would file an FIR. “… I received a call some time ago and the caller identified himself as Lawrence Bishnoi and he asked for Rs 30 lakh, I denied and cut the call… He called again reminding me of Baba Siddiqui and asked for the money threatening to kill me the same way, but I cut the call… He called again and again and told me how he knew everything about me and I asked how to send the money… He then sent a scanner for the transaction…,” he told ANI on Tuesday.

The minister, however, refused to give in to the demands and instead informed the Director General of Police (DGP), who is currently investigating the matter.

“I informed DGP. He is conducting an investigation. I will file a first information report… I have no cases on me now and no political enemies… Let the report come, this Rs 30 lakh will cost him a lot…,” Mr Singh added.

NCP leader Baba Siddique was shot dead by three assailants near his son, MLA Zeeshan Siddique’s, office in Mumbai’s Nirmal Nagar on October 12.

Police have also arrested Salman Vohra and Akashdeep Singh in connection with the murder. Vohra has been accused of financing the murder.

According to the information received from a senior officer of the Mumbai Crime Branch, the investigation of the Mumbai Crime Branch has revealed that after the murder of Baba Siddiqui, a big leader of Pune was also on the radar of the Bishnoi gang.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chandigarh:

A senior police officer of Punjab has been sacked for facilitating the recording of an interview with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi by a private television channel while he was in the custody of the CIA (Crime Investigation Agency) in Kharar.

The action came after a probe by a Special Investigation Team. The state police chief said Gursher Singh Sandhu has “severely dented the image of the department “with his misconduct, negligence and dereliction of duty.  

While reviewing the matter, the state government, too, came to the same conclusion and issued an order for his dismissal. 

Bishnoi’s interviews were conducted while he was in police custody. One of these was at the  CIA staff premises Kharar, and was aired by a private news channel in March 2023.

The dismissal orders, which cited Article 311 of the Constitution, made special mention of his uncooperative attitude. 

“It is not reasonably practicable to hold an inquiry into the chargesheet issued to Gursher Singh Sandhu, PPS (under suspension), in view of the non-cooperative attitude of the officer,” the order read. 

It cited how the officer refused to accept a copy of the chargesheet against him and how it had to be affixed to his doorstep”.

Lawrence Bishnoi, arrested in 2014, has made the rounds of various jails of the country including Delhi’s Tihar jail. Currently he is in Sabarmati’s Central Jail.
 

Gurugram:

Lawrence Bishnoi’s associates, Rohit Godara and Goldy Brar have claimed responsibility for the crude bomb explosion outside a bar in Gurugram Sector 29 through social media.

They alleged that the bar owner earns crores through illegal means, evades taxes, and causes harm to the country. They warned that everyone will have to pay taxes.

In a purported Facebook post, they issued a threat, stating that this was a minor explosion and that they were capable of carrying out larger attacks. This social media post is being investigated, said the police.

The Gurugram Police had arrested a man, identified as Sachin, in connection with the incident on Tuesday. Two cotton bombs were thrown outside the bar in Sector 29.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Sachin was intoxicated at the time of the incident. “The accused was in a state of intoxication. He had already thrown two cotton bombs and was about to throw two more when the police intervened and arrested him along with the bombs,” the Gurugram Police stated.

Vikas Arora, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Gurugram, personally inspected the scene. Under his instructions, the Gurugram Police bomb disposal team was called to inspect and secure the area. “Two live cotton bombs recovered from the possession of the accused were defused by the bomb disposal team,” police added.

The incident caused minor damage to a scooty and a board. No casualties or injuries were reported.

The Gurugram Police is continuing its investigation to determine the motive behind the act.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

A man illegally entered a location where Salman Khan was shooting for a film in Mumbai and, when questioned, asked whether he should call gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, police sources said. 

The officials said Mr Khan was shooting for a film in Dadar’s Shivaji Park area on Wednesday when the man entered the venue. Finding his movements suspicious, some people asked him what he was doing, only for the man to respond: “Bishnoi ko bulau kya? (Should I call Lawrence Bishnoi?)”.

The man has been taken to the Shivaji Park police station, where he is being questioned. 

The Bishnoi gang had claimed responsibility for the shooting outside Salman Khan’s house in Mumbai’s Bandra in April. The actor’s name had also come up when the Bishnoi gang said it had killed former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique in Bandra in October. A member of the gang had allegedly said that the politician was close to Salman Khan and that anyone who helped the actor would also be in its crosshairs. 

The actor has been receiving a string of threats, especially since Baba Siddique’s killing, and some of them have also turned out to be fake. Last month, a 24-year-old lyricist of a song in an upcoming Salman Khan was arrested for sending a threat to the actor and himself, purportedly from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Police had said the lyricist had called the Mumbai traffic control room and issued the threat because he wanted the song, which mentions Bishnoi, to get publicity.

In October, another person had called up the Mumbai police control room and threatened that the actor would be killed unless he paid Rs 2 crore as ransom. 

Why Salman Khan?

The Bishnoi gang, which became a household name after claiming responsibility for murdering musician Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022, has said it wants to kill Salman Khan because of his alleged involvement in shooting blackbucks at Bawad in Mathania near Jodhpur in September 1998, during the filming of ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’.

The alleged act had upset the Bishnoi community, which considers the blackbuck sacred.

Lawrence Bishnoi had also said during a court appearance in 2018: “We will kill Salman Khan in Jodhpur. Everyone will know once we take action. I have not done anything as of now, they are accusing me of crimes for no reason.”

Chandigarh:

Two members of the notorious Bishnoi gang were arrested after a dramatic chase and a shootout in Punjab’s Jalandhar this morning. Three pistols and several cartridges have been seized from them, the police said in a statement.

Jalandhar Commissionerate Police (@CPJalandhar) apprehends two associates of the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang in #Jalandhar after a hot chase and shootout.

The police opened fire in retaliation after the suspects fired at them during the chase. The arrested individuals have multiple… pic.twitter.com/f8MjdUkWMg

— Punjab Police India (@PunjabPoliceInd) November 27, 2024

During the chase, the suspects fired at the cops, after which the police opened fire in retaliation. The arrested suspects have multiple cases registered against them, including extortion, murder, Arms Act and drugs law, said the police.

The police are continuing their investigations to uncover more about the gang’s activities and connections, officials said.

The Bishnoi gang, which has about 700 shooters across the country, is under police scanner for several high-profile murders, including those of Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moosewala and political Baba Siddique. It is led by the gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently lodged in the Sabarmati jail in Gujarat.

Anmol Bishnoi, the younger sibling of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was arrested in the US a few days ago for entering that country with illegal documents, sources told NDTV. The 26-year-old is wanted in several high-profile cases, including the 2022 murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. He is also accused in last month’s killing of ex-Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique and the firing incident outside actor Salman Khan’s Mumbai home in June 2024.

Bishnoi is currently at the Pottawattamie County Jail in Iowa, a facility known as the ‘Squirrel Cage Jail.’

All about the Squirrel Cage Jail

The Squirrel Cage Jail, an architectural marvel with a chilling history, was constructed in 1885 on the grounds of a former church morgue. One of the only three remaining revolving jails in the US, it is renowned for its eerie and unsettling design. The jail is unique for its rotating cells that revolve within a circular structure to align with a single door. This peculiar design allowed jailers to rotate the cells to reach the desired prisoner, an architectural feature that continues to intrigue and unsettle visitors.

The facility was used as a jail until 1969. In 1971, it was acquired by the Council Bluffs Park Board for preservation and transformed into a museum by the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County (HSPS). Since its conversion, the jail has attracted considerable attention, particularly for its paranormal reputation. Reports of strange occurrences, such as unexplained footsteps and whispers, have surfaced for decades, particularly from staff and visitors to the site.

“Many of the jail staff and volunteers have heard footsteps, voices, whispers and doors moving. Some have even seen dark shadows moving across the stairs or past doorways,” an article on the Council Bluffs website quoted Kat Slaughter, the museum’s manager, as saying.

The haunting at the jail has been linked to a series of tragic events over the years. At least four known deaths occurred within the building. A prisoner died of a heart attack, another fell from a great height while attempting to carve his name on the ceiling, a third died by suicide and a guard was fatally shot during a mishap with riot training equipment.

Paranormal experts have conducted multiple investigations at the site, with some capturing unexplained phenomena, including Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVPs) and visual evidence of shadows. Slaughter notes that investigators have recorded electromagnetic field (EMF) anomalies in areas where there should be none, further adding to the jail’s mystique.

According to the HSPS, the walls of this jail bear the scratched signatures and dates of many of its infamous prisoners. These markings stand as proof of the jail’s grim past, which is unlikely to be replicated in a modern facility, stated HSPS on its website.

Anmol Bishnoi, the younger sibling of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was arrested in the US a few days ago for entering that country with illegal documents, sources told NDTV. The 26-year-old is wanted in several high-profile cases, including the 2022 murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. He is also accused in last month’s killing of ex-Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique and the firing incident outside actor Salman Khan’s Mumbai home in June 2024.

Bishnoi is currently at the Pottawattamie County Jail in Iowa, a facility known as the ‘Squirrel Cage Jail.’

All about the Squirrel Cage Jail

The Squirrel Cage Jail, an architectural marvel with a chilling history, was constructed in 1885 on the grounds of a former church morgue. One of the only three remaining revolving jails in the US, it is renowned for its eerie and unsettling design. The jail is unique for its rotating cells that revolve within a circular structure to align with a single door. This peculiar design allowed jailers to rotate the cells to reach the desired prisoner, an architectural feature that continues to intrigue and unsettle visitors.

The facility was used as a jail until 1969. In 1971, it was acquired by the Council Bluffs Park Board for preservation and transformed into a museum by the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County (HSPS). Since its conversion, the jail has attracted considerable attention, particularly for its paranormal reputation. Reports of strange occurrences, such as unexplained footsteps and whispers, have surfaced for decades, particularly from staff and visitors to the site.

“Many of the jail staff and volunteers have heard footsteps, voices, whispers and doors moving. Some have even seen dark shadows moving across the stairs or past doorways,” an article on the Council Bluffs website quoted Kat Slaughter, the museum’s manager, as saying.

The haunting at the jail has been linked to a series of tragic events over the years. At least four known deaths occurred within the building. A prisoner died of a heart attack, another fell from a great height while attempting to carve his name on the ceiling, a third died by suicide and a guard was fatally shot during a mishap with riot training equipment.

Paranormal experts have conducted multiple investigations at the site, with some capturing unexplained phenomena, including Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVPs) and visual evidence of shadows. Slaughter notes that investigators have recorded electromagnetic field (EMF) anomalies in areas where there should be none, further adding to the jail’s mystique.

According to the HSPS, the walls of this jail bear the scratched signatures and dates of many of its infamous prisoners. These markings stand as proof of the jail’s grim past, which is unlikely to be replicated in a modern facility, stated HSPS on its website.

New Delhi:

Jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother Anmol was detained last week in the US due to a “local reason” and not in any case related to India, sources said today. Some deficiencies were found in his documents, the sources added.

Anmol Bishnoi – wanted for the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique and firing outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s home in Mumbai – was caught in California’s Sacramento last Thursday.

It is not yet clear whether he is still in police custody or not.

The younger brother of Lawrence Bishnoi – accused of running a criminal syndicate despite being in jail in Ahmedabad – is believed to be staying in Canada and, sources say, he visits the US frequently.

Earlier this month, the Mumbai police sent a proposal to the centre for the extradition of Anmol Bishnoi, who was named in a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the National Investigation Agency or NIA, sources said.

According to the sources in the intelligence agencies, there is currently no possibility of Anmol Bishnoi being brought to India.

In October, the Mumbai police approached a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court, intending to “initiate the extradition procedure of fugitive criminal Anmol Bishnoi”.

The country’s counter-terrorism law enforcement agency NIA recently announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for information on Anmol Bishnoi. A lookout circular was also issued against him in April after he claimed responsibility for the firing incident outside Salman Khan’s home.

An FIR was also registered by the NIA against nine accused, including the Bishnoi brothers – who are from Fazilka in Punjab – in August 2022 for being part of a conspiracy to “raise funds, recruit youth to carry out terrorist acts in the Union Territory of Delhi and other parts of the country” besides “targeted killings of prominent persons”

Mumbai:

The plan to assassinate former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique was conceived just 10 days after the shooting incident outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s residence on April 14, Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch sources have said. 

Two men on motorbikes fired multiple rounds outside Mr Khan’s residence in Bandra in April, leading to the arrest of several individuals. Sources revealed that following the incident, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang sought to target individuals close to the actor. Baba Siddique, a close friend of Salman Khan, emerged as a prime target. 

Investigations have revealed the gang’s reliance on “dabba calling,” an illegal telephone exchange system, to coordinate the murder. “Dabba Calling” is a term likely derived from the use of a secondary phone (dabba) to issue threats. Anmol Bishnoi, Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother, allegedly used this system extensively to instruct key operatives, including Shiv Kumar Gautam, Zeeshan Akhtar, Shubham Lonkar, and Sujit Singh.

The gang had established its own telecommunication hub. This network ensured real-time coordination during the crime while shielding the conspirators from police tracking.

Baba Siddique, aged 66, was gunned down near his son and MLA Zeeshan Siddique’s Bandra office on October 12. According to Crime Branch sources, Shiv Kumar Gautam, believed to be the lead shooter, lingered at the crime scene for 20 minutes post-attack.

Gautam discarded a bag containing his pistol, shirt, and Aadhaar card before blending into the panicked crowd. Witnessing the chaos and police presence, he took further steps to avoid detection, including changing his clothes and returning to the scene to gauge the situation.

Later, Gautam reportedly boarded an autorickshaw and headed to Lilavati Hospital to confirm Mr Siddique’s death. At 10:47 pm, he left for Kurla railway station, discarding his mobile phone en route to eliminate potential evidence. Authorities are still working to recover the device.

Further probing revealed that Shubham Lonkar, another suspect, had undergone weapons training in the dense forests near Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, in July. Crime Branch officials suspect that Lonkar’s training, involving an AK-47, was facilitated by Maoists, though this connection remains under investigation.