Sukha alias Sukhbir Balbir Singh was arrested from Panipat in Haryana by a Navi Mumbai police team three days ago.

Navi Mumbai Police arrested Sukhbir Balbir Singh, alias Sukha, a key member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, who had allegedly been plotting to kill Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. The arrest took place in a Panipat hotel room on Wednesday night, where the suspect was lured by a woman working with the police.

Police personnel and others after arresting Sukha, alias Sukhbir Balbir Singh, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and an accused in an alleged plot to kill Bollywood actor Salman Khan. (PTI)

The suspect, Sukha, is believed to have played a key role in planning an attack on Salman Khan earlier this year. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang, notorious for its links to organised crime, has been under investigation for an alleged plot to assassinate Khan using firearms smuggled from Pakistan.
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Sukha, closely associated with the gang’s leadership, was in contact with a Pakistan-based handler named Dogar, reported PTI quoting an official.

For three months, police had been developing a plan to capture Sukha, who had evaded law enforcement after the attack on Khan’s residence in Bandra.

How woman lured Sukha to hotel room

A young woman, working undercover, was tasked with befriending him and gaining his trust, reported Dainik Jagran. Over time, the two communicated frequently, laying the groundwork for the eventual sting operation, according to the report.

On Wednesday, the woman contacted Sukha and informed him that she was staying at the Abhinandan Hotel in Panipat. During the call, the woman said she was very drunk.

“I am somewhere in Panipat, but I don’t know where. I am at the Abhinandan Hotel. I am sending you the location, come here,” she told him, according to the report.

Initially suspicious, Sukha questioned whether she was setting him up for an arrest. However, she reassured him, hinting at a potential reward for his visit. After some hesitation, Sukha agreed to meet her, unaware that the Mumbai Police had stationed themselves in a room above, ready to pounce.

As the two shared drinks in the hotel room, officers from Mumbai Police raided the premises, apprehending the suspect.

The operation marked the culmination of months of surveillance and coordination by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Navi Mumbai police.

Sukha’s arrest is a major breakthrough in the ongoing investigation into the Lawrence Bishnoi gang’s plot to assassinate Salman Khan. The gang had allegedly planned to use high-powered weapons such as AK-47s and M16 rifles, smuggled from Pakistan, to carry out the attack. Investigators have uncovered evidence linking Sukha to Goldy Brar, a gangster based in the United States, and other key figures in the Bishnoi network.

This arrest comes after Navi Mumbai police earlier detained five other Bishnoi gang members – Dhananjay alias Ajay Kashyap alias Nahvi, Gaurav Bhatia, Waspi Khan alias Wasim Chikna, Rizwan Khan alias Javed, and Deepak Hawa Singh alias John – in June, who were accused of conducting reconnaissance at Khan’s home and Panvel farmhouse.

Khan had told police that he believed the Lawrence Bishnoi gang carried out the firing at his residence with the intention to kill him and his family members.

The actor’s statement is part of the charge sheet filed by Mumbai police in a court here in connection with the incident.