Gangster Anmol Bishnoi moves plea to surrender in Salman Khan firing case

Gangster Anmol Bishnoi, currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail, has moved a special court in Mumbai seeking permission to surrender in the 2024 firing case outside actor Salman Khan’s Bandra residence, saying the step was necessary “in the interest of a fair trial and justice”.

In an application filed before a special court under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), Anmol said he wished to voluntarily surrender and participate in the judicial proceedings in the case. He urged the court to issue a production warrant to Tihar Jail so that he could be brought before it.

Anmol is the younger brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. He was deported from the United States in November last year and was subsequently arrested by the National Investigation Agency in another case. He is currently in judicial custody in Delhi.

In his plea, Anmol said he was already under the “physical control of law” in the NIA matter and could not appear before the Mumbai court unless it passed an appropriate order. He argued that his formal surrender in the present case, and any subsequent virtual or physical remand proceedings, required his production before the court.

The application said no prejudice would be caused to the prosecution if such an order was passed. On the contrary, it would help expedite the trial and prevent any misuse of the legal process, the plea added.

The development comes as the trial in the firing case has already begun. According to the plea, three witnesses have been examined so far in Anmol’s absence.

The case relates to the firing outside Salman Khan’s Galaxy Apartment in Bandra on the morning of 14 April 2024. Investigators have alleged that two men on a motorcycle — later identified as Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal — opened fire outside the actor’s residence.

Apart from Anmol, the accused in the case include Gupta, Pal, Sonukumar Bishnoi, Mohammad Rafiq Choudhari and Harpal Singh, all of whom are currently in judicial custody. Another accused, Anujkumar Thapan, died by suicide while in police custody.

With PTI inputs