Delhi court grants transit custody of Lawrence Bishnoi to Gujarat ATS
Darpan News Desk IANS, 24 Apr, 2023 10:30 AM
New Delhi, April 24 (IANS) Delhi's Patiala House Court on Monday granted transit custody of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi to the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) in connection with a cross-border smuggling case.
The agency wants to question Bishnoi about any possible ties to Pakistan because it believes there is a chance that his associates are involved in cross-border smuggling of drugs and weapons.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had already zeroed in on Bishnoi for his possible links to anti-Indian elements in Pakistan.
Bishnoi was also involved in cross-border drugs trafficking and a Nigerian woman was working for him, claimed the Gujarat ATS, which now wants to interrogate the gangster in connection with the Al-Tayyasa boat matter in which 38.994 kg heroin worth Rs 194.97 crore was recovered from the Mitha Port in Gujarat.
"Six Pakistani nationals who were on board the boat were held. Later, it was learnt that the consignment was sent for Bishnoi by Pakistan-based handlers under the supervision of a Nigerian woman. Calls were made from Punjab jail. While two of the accused have been interrogated, we want to quiz Bishnoi for which his production warrant is being sought," a source said earlier.
Also on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on the occasion of Parakram Jayanti and said: "Today, on Parakram Diwas, I pay homage to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and recall his unparalleled contribution to India's history."
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and Health Minister Balbir Singh said the inauguration program would be held in Amritsar on January 27. The Chief Minister will inaugurate the clinics, while AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will attend the programme as the chief guest.
A police official said that during normal checking of vehicles on Sunday night in Imphal, two persons were apprehended and the drugs, smuggled from Myanmar, were recovered from their procession. The drug peddlers, identified as Md. Abdul Salam and Md. Wasim Akram, have been arrested under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The bodies of a married couple and their two children, aged three and 11, were found metres from the border on Jan. 19, 2022. Investigators have said they believe the deaths were linked to a human smuggling operation, and a man charged in the U.S. is to stand trial later this year.
A video showing the woman's ordeal has gone viral on social media in which she is seen lying on the ground in a public place. The incident took place on Thursday and the woman, identified as Kalpana, was "turned back without check-up".
The Chief Minister, while interacting with the media after reviewing the progress of development projects worth Rs 167 crore in the city, said it is ironic that the Maharajas in power were more concerned about their own development rather than that of the city. He said though Patiala was known as 'City of Gardens' but due to apathy of those in power, the city lost its shine in the last few years.
