NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Tuesday ordered framing charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) against gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and 19 others for running an organized crime syndicate operating across the country.
Special Judge Prashant Sharma issued the order from the Patiala House Courts.
“The defendants were involved, individually or collectively, in committing several crimes and collected additional wealth through extortion from various persons using violence, threats, intimidation, coercion, or illegal means, with the aim of obtaining financial gain,” the 79-page order stated.
Along with Bishnoi, charges were also ordered against his key accomplices, including Sandeep alias Kala Gathri and Sampat Nehra.
The judge ordered that charges be framed under Sections 3 (organized crime) and 4 (possession of unaccountable wealth on behalf of a member of an organized crime syndicate) of the MCOCA and under various provisions of the Arms and Explosives Act.
The court set next April 30 as the date for the next session, where all defendants will be brought before the court in person to be formally charged.
However, Bishnoi may not be produced in court in person because a November 2025 order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs restricts Bishnoi’s movement outside Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat, where he is currently residing, due to law and order concerns.
The current case was filed by the Special Cell of Delhi Police in 2021 against Bishnoi and 19 others for their alleged involvement in multiple cases, including contract murders, extortion of businessmen and celebrities, social media threats, and supply of arms across the country.
Apart from Delhi, Bishnoi and his associates also have an MCOCA case against them in Mumbai. It is certain that in order to activate the anti-corruption law, the police must show two pages of charges attracting heinous crimes, within 10 years.
During the arguments relating to the charge, Additional Public Prosecutor Akhand Pratap Singh, on behalf of the Delhi Police, said that Bishnoi was working as a central coordinator even from prison while the rest of his associates were handling executions, logistics and communications.
He further stated that the gang operated as an established network rather than a few isolated individuals.
Regarding the financial gains obtained from crimes, which is a prerequisite in MCOCA cases, the prosecutor said that the extortion operations targeted businessmen, builders and key public figures, demanding money that was later used for exorbitant expenses.
Special Judge Sharma’s order said that during the investigation, several public witnesses were questioned, all of whom received threats demanding protection money and not to give statements in court against the accused.
“…It has been clearly revealed that the members of this criminal gang are receiving a huge sum of extortion or protection money on behalf of this gang from a local businessman, liquor store owner, or local store owners,” the order said.
The extortion money was used to purchase weapons to operate gang activities which is clearly demonstrated by the recovery of a large quantity of ammunition from the possession of the accused. The court indicated that the gang was involved in up to 71 cases of murder, extortion, and the supply of weapons.
The court noted that it was also recorded that the defendants were living a luxurious lifestyle in prison and spending huge sums of money from inside the prison, which were deposited in their accounts.
“It also came to light that from time to time several mobile phones were recovered from the gang members of this criminal syndicate in prison which were used to carry out criminal activities on behalf of the syndicate and to maintain contact with other gang members,” the order said.
The court also referred to the international links of the Bashnoi gang, noting that passport office records indicate that members of the gang were constantly working from countries such as Thailand, Canada, and the United States of America, with a forged passport.
Bishnoi is also accused of involvement in the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Musiwala in 2022 as he was booked by Punjab Police on charges of murder and criminal conspiracy.
He is also accused of a 2024 shooting outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s residence in Mumbai where he was booked on charges of criminal intimidation, attempted murder and organized crime.
