Gangster Harichand Jat alias Harry Boxer, a close associate of Lawrence Bishnoi and one of the gang's key operatives, has been arrested by US authorities. He was operating the Bishnoi gang's extortion network from abroad and is among Haryana's most-wanted gangsters.
According to Delhi Police sources, Boxer was arrested in California following inputs from the Delhi Police Special Cell and Haryana Special Task Force (STF). Indian agencies are expected to initiate the legal process to bring him back to India, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) likely to assist as the nodal agency.
The boxer had claimed responsibility for the firing outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty's Mumbai residence in February. He subsequently issued threats to several Bollywood personalities through social media posts and audio messages. Several criminal cases, including murder, attempted murder, assault, firing and extortion through threats, are registered against him.
His arrest comes days after gangsters Himanshu Bhau and Neeraj Faridpuria were also arrested in the US.
HARRY BOXER'S ROLE IN ROHIT SHETTY FIRING
The firing outside Rohit Shetty's Mumbai residence in February had triggered threats against several members of the Bollywood industry. Boxer subsequently claimed responsibility for the attack and issued social media posts and audio messages threatening people from the film fraternity.
In one such audio message, a speaker identifying himself as Arju Bishnoi named Harry Boxer and Shubham Lonkar while claiming responsibility for the firing. The message said that Shetty had repeatedly been warned against interfering in the gang's activities and described the attack as a "short trailer".
It also warned of more serious consequences for those who ignored the threats or supported the gang's rivals. Police had said they were verifying the authenticity of the audio recording and investigating the alleged involvement of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in the February attack.
Boxer's name has also surfaced in connection with the firing at comedian Kapil Sharma's cafe in Canada and threats issued to Bollywood actors Ranveer Singh and Tushar Kapoor.
WHO IS HARRY BOXER?
Harichand Jat, popularly known as Harry Boxer, is originally from the Bamsur area of Rajasthan's Kotputli-Behror district. He reportedly learnt boxing while living in Jaipur, which earned him the nickname Boxer.
He initially prepared for competitive examinations and also worked as a boxing coach before entering the world of crime. He later became an active member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and played a key role in running its extortion network from abroad.
His name has surfaced in several criminal cases across Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana. These include murder, attempted murder, assault, firing and extortion by threatening businessmen.
His activities from overseas made him an important operative in the gang's network, with his name also linked to threats against prominent personalities and firing incidents.
Lawrence Bishnoi's gang has also been linked to a series of threats and attacks targeting Bollywood personalities. Besides the firing outside Rohit Shetty's Mumbai residence, the gang's name has surfaced in connection with threats to actor Tushar Kapoor, Ayushmann Khurrana and comedian Kapil Sharma. Its involvement in the firing incident targeting Tiger Shroff has also brought attention to its expanding footprint in the film industry. Despite Bishnoi being behind bars, investigations into these incidents have raised questions about how his associates continue to operate across countries.