A Delhi court on Tuesday (April 21, 2026) framed charges against gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and 19 others in a case related to their alleged involvement in a nationwide organised crime network.

Observing that the accused, individually and collectively, were linked to multiple criminal activities and had amassed wealth through extortion by employing threats, violence and coercion for financial gain, Special Judge Prashant Sharma of Patiala House Courts framed charges against the accused under stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) and Arms and Explosives Act.

Charges were also framed against key associates in Bishmoi gang including Sandeep alias Kala Jatheri and Sampat Nehra.

The court also invoked provisions under Sections 3 (organised crime) and 4 (possession of unaccounted wealth linked to organised crime) of MCOCA, along with sections of the

Bishnoi, currently lodged in Sabarmati jail in Gujarat, will not be produced physically in court due to a November 2025 directive by the Ministry of Home Affairs restricting his movement on security grounds.

The case, registered by the Delhi Police Special Cell in 2021, accuses the group of offences including contract killings, extortion targeting businessmen and public figures, arms trafficking, and issuing threats via social media. Prosecutors argued that Bishnoi coordinated operations from prison, while associates managed execution and logistics, functioning as an organised network rather than isolated individuals.

The court noted testimonies from witnesses who reported receiving threats and demands for protection money. It also highlighted that extortion proceeds were used to procure weapons, with large quantities of ammunition recovered during the investigation. The syndicate is allegedly linked to 71 criminal cases.

Further, the court pointed to the gang’s international footprint, with members reportedly operating from countries such as Thailand, Canada and the United States using forged documents.

Bishnoi has also been named in other high-profile cases, including the 2022 killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala and the 2024 firing incident outside actor Salman Khan’s Mumbai residence.