Anmol Bishnoi, the brother of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is wanted in India for several high-profile murders, has applied for political asylum in the United States following his arrest by immigration officials last week, sources confirmed.

Bishnoi was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in California after allegedly entering the country with fraudulent documents. He is currently being held in Pottawattamie County Jail in Iowa, according to ICE records.

Sources indicate that Bishnoi’s arrest was triggered by information provided by the Indian government about his illegal entry into the US. It is believed that Bishnoi may have deliberately turned himself in to US authorities as part of a strategy to seek asylum after the Mumbai Police initiated extradition proceedings to bring him back to India.

There are concerns that Bishnoi could avoid extradition, as his application for asylum through legal channels complicates the matter. Sources also pointed out that US courts tend to grant bail in such cases, referencing the earlier release of gangster Goldie Brar, who was also arrested in the US. This could potentially enable Bishnoi to stay in the US while the extradition process is delayed or blocked.

Bishnoi, who fled India in 2023 using a fake passport, took on a central role in his brother’s criminal operations after Lawrence Bishnoi’s arrest. He is wanted for his involvement in several criminal cases, including the shooting outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s home and the 2022 murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala.

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