Key member of Lawrence Bishnoi gang deported from US held at Delhi airport

     New Delhi, Jan 7 (PTI) A key member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, Aman Bhainswal, who was facing an Interpol Red Notice, was deported from the US on Wednesday in an operation coordinated by the CBI and arrested by the Haryana police at the Delhi airport, officials said.
     According to an official statement, gangster Aman Kumar alias Aman Bhainswal was allegedly involved in cases of firing, murder, attempt to murder, extortion and illegal arms activities across Haryana and the Delhi-NCR region. He had fled abroad using forged documentation in an attempt to evade prosecution.
     The CBI obtained an Interpol Red Notice against Bhainswal, who is facing charges for various offences related to murder, rioting and criminal conspiracy, at the request of the Haryana Police.
     "The accused is a notorious criminal and key member of an organised criminal gang, namely the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. He was earlier arrested in India and was later granted bail. However, he did not face trial and subsequently absconded," a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.
     Based on the Interpol Red Notice, Bhainswal was traced and geolocated in the US.
     "He was successfully deported from the USA and arrived in India on January 7, 2026. He was taken into custody by a team of the Haryana Police at Delhi Airport," the official said.
     He has 10 serious criminal cases registered against him in Haryana and Delhi, out of which six cases were filed before he went abroad, an officer of Gurugram Police's STF said.
     Special Task Force (STF) IG B Satheesh Balan said that Bhainswal had been detained in the United States two months ago.
     "Investigations revealed that Gangster Bhainswal fraudulently obtained a passport using forged documentation based on an East Delhi address. On June 20, 2024, he travelled to Kuwait using this illegal passport and subsequently entered the United States.
     "A case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Passport Act was registered in Gohana Sadar police station against the gangster in Sonipat. A Look-Out Circular (LOC) was issued, an Interpol Red Corner Notice (RCN) was secured, and he was formally declared a proclaimed offender," he said.
     This is the sixth successful extradition carried out by STF since 2025 and the second major operation executed from the United States, he noted.
     Balan said that the success has been made possible through seamless cooperation between Indian authorities, Interpol, US enforcement agencies and state police units, and that the entire process was completed in over one and a half years.
     The police said Bhainswal also had links with the Rohit Godara gang.
     Meanwhile, after Bhainswal's arrest, Haryana DGP Ajay Singhal warned criminals and fugitives that they cannot escape the law by crossing borders or adopting forged identities.
     “Those who think they can hide beyond national boundaries or evade the law through fake identities must understand that no one can escape the reach of Haryana Police.
     "Every fugitive -- whether in India or abroad -- will be brought to justice. Haryana is a state of law and order, not a refuge for criminals,” the state police chief said.
     A Haryana police statement said that the DGP's message signals even more stringent action against organised crime in the coming months.
     Bhainswal operated a criminal network that extended across Sonipat, Rohtak, Jhajjar and the national capital.
     Through advanced monitoring, intelligence exchanges and cross-border operational alignment, the STF ensured that Bhainswal's presence and activities were continuously tracked, the police said.
     DGP Singhal said that STF Haryana will continue its relentless efforts to neutralise criminal networks and safeguard public safety.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)