Nearly three years after the shocking daylight murder of Punjabi singer-rapper Sidhu Moosewala, the man accused of orchestrating his killing has broken his silence. Goldy Brar, a Canada-based gangster and close associate of jailed criminal mastermind Lawrence Bishnoi, gave a chilling and unapologetic explanation for the assassination in a rare interview featured in a BBC documentary released on Moosewala's birth anniversary, June 11, 2025.
Brar, who remains at large despite Interpol’s Red Corner Notice and terror charges, justified the killing by accusing Moosewala of crossing unforgivable lines. "We had no option but to kill him. He had to face the consequences of his actions. It was either him or us. As simple as that," Brar told BBC Eye during a six-hour exchange of voice notes. He dismissed suggestions that the murder was motivated by fame or money, instead framing it as an unavoidable act of retaliation.
The fatal ambush took place in May 2022 near Moosewala’s native village in Punjab’s Mansa district. The 28-year-old artist was driving his black Mahindra Thar SUV when two vehicles began tailing him. One vehicle suddenly swerved to block the path of Moosewala's car, cornering it against a wall. Moments later, six gunmen armed with AK-47s and pistols opened fire, riddling the SUV with over 100 bullets and fatally wounding the rapper. He was declared dead on arrival at the hospital, having been struck by 24 bullets. A cousin and a friend traveling with him were injured but survived.
Goldy Brar publicly claimed responsibility for the murder hours after the killing via a Facebook post. Despite numerous arrests and police actions, including the killing of two suspected gunmen in police encounters, no trial or conviction has yet occurred. Brar continues to evade arrest, operating from Canada, and was designated a terrorist by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs on January 1, 2024, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The designation cites his involvement in cross-border arms smuggling and association with the banned outfit Babbar Khalsa International.
In the BBC interview, Brar revealed the origins of the deadly feud. He said the conflict began over a kabaddi tournament in a Punjabi village affiliated with Bishnoi’s rivals, the Bambiha gang. Moosewala had publicly supported this tournament, which enraged Bishnoi and his associates. "He was promoting people we were at odds with. That didn’t sit well with Lawrence and the others. They warned him, told him to stay away, but he didn’t," Brar explained.
The simmering dispute was temporarily eased by Vikramjit Singh Middukhera, known as Vicky, a Youth Akali Dal leader and associate of Bishnoi. However, in August 2021, Middukhera was gunned down in broad daylight in Mohali’s Sector 71. The Bambiha gang claimed responsibility for the killing. Brar insinuated that Moosewala had a role in Middukhera’s murder, stating, "Everyone knew what part Sidhu had in that. Cops knew it; even journalists knew it. But nobody acted because of his political clout and money. We waited for justice. We waited for someone to take action. When no one did, we acted." Moosewala denied any involvement, and Punjab police told the BBC there was no evidence linking him to gang crimes or Middukhera’s killing.
Brar further alleged that Moosewala’s friend and sometime manager, Shaganpreet Singh, was involved in providing logistical support to the gunmen responsible for Middukhera’s assassination. Singh later fled India and is believed to be in Australia. Despite the lack of official proof, Brar remains convinced of Moosewala’s complicity, accusing him of using political power and money to aid rival gangs.
Asked about bypassing the legal system, Brar was dismissive. "Law. Justice. There’s no such thing," he said. "Only the powerful can... [obtain] justice, not ordinary people like us. I did what I had to do for my brother. I have no remorse whatsoever." He also pointed to the struggles of Middukhera’s brother, a politician, who has failed to secure justice through the courts despite his efforts.
Sidhu Moosewala’s rise to fame was meteoric. Born Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu in rural Punjab, he moved to Canada in 2016 to study engineering but soon reinvented himself as a Punjabi hip-hop icon. Over five years, he amassed over five billion views on YouTube, reached the UK Top 5 charts, and collaborated with international artists like Burna Boy. His lyrics candidly addressed gang culture, political corruption, and Punjabi identity, resonating deeply with the global Punjabi diaspora.
However, Moosewala’s growing visibility and defiant persona also drew the ire of Punjab’s criminal underworld. Lawrence Bishnoi, a feared gangster running his syndicate from jail, and Brar, his key operative based in Canada, viewed Moosewala as a threat. Brar described how Bishnoi and Moosewala had a prior relationship, with Moosewala even sending "good morning" and "good night" messages to flatter Bishnoi while he was incarcerated. The relationship soured over the kabaddi tournament and other alleged alliances.
The killing of Moosewala has had far-reaching consequences beyond the loss of a musical star. Journalists and law enforcement officials say it has emboldened Punjab’s gangsters and intensified extortion rackets. Ritesh Lakhi, a Punjab-based journalist, described the murder as "the biggest killing in decades," noting that Brar is reportedly extorting huge sums of money following the high-profile assassination. Jupinderjit Singh, deputy editor of The Tribune, observed that the "fear factor around gangsters has risen amongst the public," affecting not only the entertainment industry but also local businessmen.
Brar denied extortion was the motive behind Moosewala’s killing but acknowledged extortion as central to gang operations. "To feed a family of four a man has to struggle all his life. We have to look after hundreds or even thousands of people who are like family to us. We have to extort people. To get money, we have to be feared," he stated.
The release of the BBC documentary reignited controversy. Moosewala’s family filed a police complaint seeking to ban the screening, alleging it tarnished his legacy and involved individuals named in the murder FIR without consent. The family planned to approach the High Court following a scheduled hearing in the Mansa court on June 12, 2025.
Despite the allegations and public accusations, Punjab police have maintained that no conclusive evidence links Moosewala to gang violence or Middukhera’s murder. The case remains unresolved, with Brar continuing to evade capture and no convictions made in the high-profile killing.
As the saga unfolds, the chilling words of Goldy Brar echo: "We had no option but to kill him. It was either him or us." The murder of Sidhu Moosewala is not just a tale of a fallen star but a stark reminder of the dangerous entanglement of crime, politics, and culture in Punjab’s shadowy underworld.
