Anmol Bishnoi, the sibling of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is implicated in a series of high-profile murders in India, has sought political asylum in the United States. This comes after his arrest by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials last week, according to confirmed sources.

Bishnoi was apprehended in California by ICE after allegedly entering the country using fraudulent documents. He is currently being held at Pottawattamie County Jail in Iowa, as per ICE records.

Sources suggest that his arrest followed intelligence shared by the Indian government regarding his unlawful entry into the US. There is speculation that Bishnoi may have intentionally surrendered to US authorities, hoping to leverage the asylum process as a strategy to avoid extradition to India. This comes after Mumbai Police initiated formal extradition proceedings to bring him back to face justice.

Concerns have arisen that Bishnoi could potentially evade extradition, as his application for asylum complicates the legal proceedings. Sources also noted that US courts are often inclined to grant bail in such cases, citing the release of fellow gangster Goldie Brar, who was arrested in the US previously. This could create an opportunity for Bishnoi to remain in the US while his extradition process is stalled or contested.

Fleeing India in 2023 on a forged passport, Anmol Bishnoi assumed a key role in his brother Lawrence’s criminal empire after his sibling’s arrest. He is wanted for his involvement in numerous criminal activities, including the infamous shooting outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s residence and the 2022 assassination of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala.

Bishnoi is also linked to the October murder of former Maharashtra Minister Baba Siddique, with investigators confirming his connections to the shooters involved. In addition, he faces charges in two National Investigation Agency (NIA) cases and is named in 18 other criminal investigations. In July, a Mumbai court issued a non-bailable warrant for his arrest, and the NIA has offered a reward of Rs 10 lakh for information leading to his capture.