Delhi man arrested for posing as aide of Lawrence Bishnoi to threaten MP Pappu Yadav

Bihar police on Saturday (Nov 2) claimed that they have arrested a person from Delhi who posed as jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s aide to allegedly threaten Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan alias, Pappu Yadav, Indian news agency PTI reported. 

A case was lodged in Bihar’s Purnea, the MP’s constituency, based on the reports shared on social media. 

Yadav reportedly received the call from a “Dubai number” and also sent letters to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, asking for enhanced security cover.

The man was identified as Delhi resident Mahesh Pandey. 

However, the police made it clear that it has so far found “no links with Lawrence Bishnoi gang” of Pandey. 

During the interrogation, Pandey confessed that he called the MP through WhatsApp, using a SIM card he had borrowed from his wife’s sister who lives in the UAE. 

Police then seized Pandey’s mobile phone and SIM card, which was used to make the alleged threat call. 

Watch | Mumbai Cops Seeks Anmol Bishnoi’s Extradition

The accused reportedly made the call to the MP after the Yadav’s recent outburst against Bishnoi after the assassination of former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique.

The officials said the accused found the MP’s number on Google. 

Earlier, soon after Baba Siddique was killed by shooters from Bishnoi’s gang, Yadav posted on social media, saying that he could “finish off within 24 hours” the Bishnoi gang, suspected to be behind the killing “if permitted by law” to do so. 

He also expressed solidarity with Bollywood actor Salman Khan, who is also reportedly on the hit list of Bishnoi’s gang for allegedly killing a blackbuck. 

However, after this episode, Yadav’s wife and Rajya Sabha Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan distanced herself and her family from his comments. 

“Pappu ji and I have different political careers and we have differences between us. For the last one-and-a-half or two years, we have also staying separately. Whatever statement he has made, my children or I have nothing to do with it,” she said. 

(With inputs from agencies)