The passport carried the number V3534569. Investigators say this forged identity helped him escape India after multiple states named him in high-profile crime cases.
Indian agencies have finally secured the return of gangster Anmol Bishnoi after months of international tracking and coordination. He was deported from the United States for entering the country with fake documents and was arrested the moment he landed in New Delhi. Investigators say his return could unlock key details in several major criminal cases across India.
Officials revealed that Anmol Bishnoi used a fake Indian passport to illegally enter the United States. He had obtained the document under the name Bhanu Pratap. The passport, accessed by NDTV, was issued in 2021. It listed his date of birth as December 15, 2000, and mentioned his parents as Rakesh and Sumitra Devi. The address on the passport showed Sector 82 in Faridabad.
The passport carried the number V3534569. Investigators say this forged identity helped him escape India after multiple states named him in high-profile crime cases.
US authorities arrested Bishnoi in Sacramento, California, in November 2024 after discovering he had entered the country using illegal travel documents. This arrest followed a non-bailable warrant issued by a Maharashtra court and a Red Corner Notice from Interpol.
He was deported on Tuesday and arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday afternoon. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) immediately arrested him. The agency will now take him for a medical check-up before producing him in court, where it will seek a 14-day custody to interrogate him.
Once the NIA completes its questioning, police from various states—including Mumbai, Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana—will approach the agency for permission to interrogate him. Bishnoi faces cases in several jurisdictions, making him one of the most wanted criminals linked to cross-state operations.
He is accused of several major crimes, including:
Zeeshan Siddique, son of the late Baba Siddique, spoke exclusively to NDTV and expressed hope that the legal system would finally deliver justice. He said he had been coordinating with US authorities for months to ensure Bishnoi’s extradition.
Zeeshan said, "I am sure he will be brought to Mumbai as well. Anmol Bishnoi and my father had nothing to do with each other. So, the fact that Anmol Bishnoi has done this and the Mumbai police have named him, it is essential for us to know who the mastermind behind the murder is."
He added, "I believe that once he steps onto Indian soil, I am sure the legal system will give us justice."
Zeeshan also stressed the importance of uncovering the full truth. "This does seem like a contract killing. We need to get the details. For society as a whole, it's very important for us to know because it is for the safety of everyone," he said.
