The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key aide of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang who was helping members of the syndicate with fake passports to evade arrest by fleeing the country, officials said on Friday.

Rahul Sarkar, who was running the gang's passport module, was arrested and has been remanded to the NIA custody by the agency's Special Court at Patiala House, New Delhi, for further examination, they said.

The NIA has found that the accused had been helping the gang members by arranging forged passports, facilitating them to flee the country after committing crimes, the officials said.

Among the gang members whom he had helped in this manner was Sachin Thapan alias Sachin Thapan Bishnoi, the key accused in the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in 2022, according to a statement issued by the probe agency.

Sarkar's arrest came as part of the NIA's investigation in a case registered in August 2022 on the directions of the Union Home Ministry.

The case relates to conspiracy by criminal gangs and syndicates to raise funds and recruit youth to carry out criminal activities, the statement said.

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