Gangsters Goldy Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi part ways in fresh headache for agencies

Gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi (L) and Goldy Brar (R) are now operating separately, central agencies have learnt.

Notorious gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar, both suspected to be involved in a number of high-profile killings and extortion rackets, are believed to have parted ways after years of association, central agencies have learnt through questioning several of their associates, reports The Indian Express.

While Bishnoi is lodged in the Sabarmati jail in Gujarat, Goldy Brar is believed to be operating out of the US. The development was discussed with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) during recent meetings by police officials from Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi, the report said, quoting sources.

The parting of ways of the two gangsters comes as a fresh challenge for central agencies as well as state police personnel tracking their syndicate.

"Both the gangsters have decided to stop working together. Goldy has started working with Azerbaijan-based Rohit Godara while Bishnoi is now associated with Canada-based Noni Rana. This feud and their new syndicates are now a source of increasing tension for state police forces,” IE quoted an official as saying.

Why the split?

The two gangsters are believed to have parted ways after Bishnoi got upset with Brar and Godara over their handling of the case of his brother Anmol in the US. Anmol, Lawrence Bishnoi's 25-year-old brother, was arrested by US immigration authorities in November 2024 for allegedly travelling with fake documents.

He has been linked to the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in May 2022 and has been found to be the “mastermind” in the murder of NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique last year.

“Central intelligence agencies received information that Brar and Godara did not help Anmol file the required bail bond. Anmol was later released but with an ankle bracelet tracker,” sources said.

Clash of egos

Over the past few months, state police personnel have found that Noni Rana (Surya Pratap), the younger brother of Kala Rana (Virender Pratap), a known gangster from Haryana’s Yamunanagar, has been making calls from the US and collecting money on behalf of Bishnoi.

On the other hand, Brar and Godara claimed responsibility for the killing of Harjit Singh, a businessman operating a trucking safety and insurance consultancy, outside his office in Canada’s Mississauga. The social media post, however, made no mention of Lawrence Bishnoi or any other members of the gang, something that had been a regular feature until now.

Lawrence had teamed up with Goldy Brar, Kala Rana and others during his initial days in the world of crime. Bishnoi later made a ‘business model’ involving alliances with gangsters from UP (Dhanajay Singh), Punjab (Jaggu Bhagwanpuria), Haryana (Kala Jatheri), Rajasthan (Rohit Godara) and Delhi (Rohit Moi and Hashim Baba), sources said.

While things worked seamlessly between them initially, differences began to crop up after ego clashes with Bhagwanpuria, who was supplying weapons to them and asking for more money. Kala Jatheri also separated after a while when he learnt that Godara and Brar were making extortion calls to several people in Haryana, an area long seen as his stronghold.

Over the past three years, Bishnoi's name has cropped up in connection with multiple threats issued to actor Salman Khan, including the firing outside the actor’s house. Canada has also alleged that "agents" of the Indian government were collaborating with the Bishnoi gang to spread terror on Canadian soil — a charge that India has denied.

Brar (Satwinderjit Singh), the alleged mastermind behind the murder of Moosewala, was declared a designated terrorist by the Centre under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in 2024.