The Killing Call: 5. The last ride

Summary

World of Secrets: "The Killing Call" Season 8, Episode 5 – "The Last Ride"

Release Date: June 10, 2025

Introduction

In the gripping final episode of "The Killing Call," part of Season 8 of BBC's World of Secrets, hosts Bobby Friction and investigative journalist Ishleen Kaur delve deep into the mysterious and violent murder of Indian music sensation Sidhu Moose Wala. This two-year-long investigation uncovers a complex web of fame, power, vengeance, and an expansive criminal underworld extending beyond India's borders.

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Sidhu Moose Wala: Fame and Passion

The episode begins by painting a vivid picture of Sidhu Moose Wala's life, highlighting his deep passion for firearms and the complications it brought to his career. Interviewee Chetan Mehta, owner of Boss Khan's Arms and Ammunition Shop, shares insights into Sidhu's affinity for guns.

Chetan Mehta [02:51]: "Whenever he saw a weapon, he just had to try it. You can see the emotion in his face when he remembers Sidhu's last months."

Sidhu's enthusiasm for firearms not only was a personal passion but also a source of trouble, exemplified by his unauthorized use of an AK47 at a shooting range, which led to police intervention without charges.

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Entry into Politics: A Move for Protection and Good

Three months before his tragic death in February 2022, Sidhu made a surprising move into politics as a candidate for the Congress Party, India's oldest political party.

Sidhu Moose Wala [03:48]: "That's why I came to politics."

His foray into the political arena was driven by a genuine desire to effect positive change in his hometown, promoting development and improved healthcare, as explained by his friend Manjinda.

Manjinda [04:12]: "He wanted to bring development to his home district, building roads, improving things like cancer care."

However, Sidhu also perceived politics as a means of protection amidst growing threats, leading to increased security measures around him and his family.

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The Murder: Unraveling the Night of May 29, 2022

On May 29, 2022, amidst heightened security concerns, Sidhu Moose Wala was assassinated in rural Punjab. The investigation revealed the involvement of six gunmen, with four arrested and two killed, though no convictions have been secured yet.

Police Officer Gurmeet Chauhan [07:22]: "Two of the main shooters were neutralized in a police action. 29 odd arrests have taken place."

Among those charged is Lawrence Bishnui, the leader of the infamous Bishnoi gang, still incarcerated in a high-security Indian jail. The most critical figure, Goldie Brar, who claimed responsibility for the murder, remains at large with an international arrest warrant issued.

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The Investigation: A Global Conspiracy?

The investigation into Sidhu's murder revealed a sprawling conspiracy possibly extending internationally, with arrests in countries like Azerbaijan and the United States. The involvement of the Bishnoi gang, a formidable organized crime group, suggests deeper, cross-border criminal connections.

Ishleen Kaur [07:53]: "A trial process has started. Among those charged with Sidhu Musiala's murder is the gang leader Lawrence Bishnui."

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Interview with Goldie Brar: Unveiling Motives

In a pivotal moment, Ishleen Kaur attempts to interview Goldie Brar, the man who took responsibility for Sidhu's murder. Despite technical difficulties, a fragmented conversation reveals Brar's chilling justifications.

Goldie Brar [13:59] [13:43]: "It wasn't a random execution. It was because of the things that he did. The people he was mixing with, he was associating with... Those who killed our brothers."

Brar alleges that Sidhu was entangled with their enemies, including politician Vicky Midukera and his cousin Gurlal Brar, suggesting Sidhu's complicity in their prior murders—a claim disputed by police.

Goldie Brar [16:01]: "It was either him or us. As simple as that."

Despite probing for evidence, Brar remains vague, offering no concrete proof of Sidhu's involvement in the murders he references.

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Allegations Against the Indian Government: Canada's Shocking Claims

The narrative takes a global turn as Canadian authorities accuse agents of the Indian government of orchestrating criminal activities within Canada, linking them to the Bishnoi gang.

Ishleen Kaur [25:21]: "What we've seen is the use of organized crime elements... the Bishnoi group, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang."

These allegations coincide with past accusations implicating the Indian government in the assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijar in British Columbia. India vehemently denies these claims, asserting a lack of evidence and labeling the allegations as pandering to Canada's Sikh community.

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The Rise of the Bishnoi Gang: Expanding Criminal Influence

Lawrence Bishnui, once a law student, transformed into a notorious gang leader. Since Sidhu's murder, the Bishnoi gang's audacity has surged, with high-profile killings that echo their boldness.

Goldie Brar [26:36]: "The probable motive for the Lawrence Bishnoi gangster being linked to the killing was to establish his criminal influence in Mumbai."

Their ability to execute significant assassinations like that of politician Baba Siddiqui underscores their growing power and the pervasive fear they instill.

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Extortion and Fear: The Gang's Grip on Punjab

The Bishnoi gang's operations extend into extortion and intimidation, fostering an environment of fear. Victims recount experiences of relentless threats and coercion, often leading to compliance through fear.

Manjinder Makha [28:35]: "I got this fake call saying give us 3 million rupees or we'll kill your son... He did know my brother's name, where I worked."

Instances of fake calls impersonating Goldie Brar to extort money reveal the gang's sophisticated intimidation tactics. The pervasive gun culture and glorification of gangster lifestyles further exacerbate the situation, especially among the youth.

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Sidhu's Lyrics and Uncanny Predictions

Sidhu Moose Wala's music not only propelled him to fame but also eerily foreshadowed his untimely death. His lyrics often touched upon themes of violence and mortality, creating a haunting resonance posthumously.

Sidhu Moose Wala [35:49]: "Live fast, die young. That's the only choice... I want... my name should echo after I'm gone."

This premonition added a layer of mystique and tragedy to his legacy, with fans and investigators alike pondering the intersection of art and fate.

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Legacy and the Quest for Justice

Sidhu's murder has left an indelible mark on his family and fans, who continue to seek justice amidst delays and bureaucratic hurdles. The birth of his son, Shupdeep Singh Sidhu, symbolizes hope amidst the lingering shadows of loss.

Ishleen Kaur [37:21]: "He loved my brother Shubdeep."

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Conclusion: A City Shrouded in Fear and Violence

The episode concludes by reflecting on the transformed landscape of Punjab, once known for its green fields and aging populace, now overshadowed by violence and fear. The Brahnoi gang's reign and Sidhu's defiance encapsulate the ongoing struggle between power, revenge, and the quest for justice.

Ishleen Kaur [31:57]: "I think we have nailed down the reasons that Sidhu was killed. Power. First and foremost, people feared what Sidhu would become."

Production Credits

The Killing Call is a BBCI production, crafted by Bobby Friction and Ishleen Kaur, with a dedicated team ensuring the depth and quality of this investigative journey.

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Final Thoughts

"The Last Ride" serves as a powerful closing chapter to "The Killing Call," intertwining personal tragedy with broader socio-political dynamics. It underscores the perilous intersections of fame, politics, and organized crime, leaving listeners with profound reflections on justice, legacy, and the human cost of power struggles.

Transcript

[Unknown Announcer]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.

[Luke Lamanna]

Did you know that after World War II, the US government quietly brought former Nazi scientists to America to advance military technology? Or that in the 1950s the army secretly released bacteria over San Francisco to test biological attacks without alerting the public? I'm Luke lamanna, and on my new podcast, Redacted, I uncover hidden truths and reveal these shocking events that those in power have tried to bury. To hear more, follow Declassified Mysteries with me, Luke lamanna, on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bobby Friction]

Before we begin the final episode of this season of World of Secrets, I've got some good news. There are more seasons of World of Secrets coming very soon. In fact, we're hoping the next one will be along in just a few weeks. So if you haven't already, follow or subscribe. So you get all seasons and all episodes automatically. And whilst you're waiting for the next season, if you're new to World of Secrets, there are seven previous seasons available right now.

[Ishleen Kaur]

On a busy street in the city of Mansa, near to where Sidhu Musayalla grew up, there's a row of shops.

[Bobby Friction]

Some shops are selling English language and visa services to young Indian Punjabis wanting to emigrate. Others are selling guns.

[Ishleen Kaur]

This is Boss Khan's arms and ammunition shop, and the owner, Chetan Mehta, was Sidhu Musiala's gun dealer.

[Goldie Brar]

This is 32 bore pistol. Pull the magazine.

[Bobby Friction]

This is empty magazine, chetan says. Sidhu loved guns.

[Goldie Brar]

This is a load pistol without ammo.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Most Punjabis say they need one for security, and it was the same for Sidhu. But for him, guns were also a passion. And it's a passion that's got him into trouble. Like the time he's filmed at a shooting range firing an AK47 rifle. Ordinary citizens aren't allowed to use AK47. Sidhu was called in by the police but not charged.

[Bobby Friction]

It was classic Sidhu, Chetan says whenever he saw a weapon, he just had to try it. You can see the emotion in his face when he remembers Sidhu's last months. There was a sense, Chetan says, that anything could happen.

[Ishleen Kaur]

He tells a story I can't get out of my mind. He's gone to visit Sidhu and his father at home in their village, Musa. They're always welcoming, he says, always open to visitors. It's harvest season. Sidhu's out in the field driving the tractor, and Sidhu's father is sitting in a jeep by the side of the field watching his son Protecting him. In his hand, a revolver.

[Bobby Friction]

Three months before he's killed in February 2022, Sidhu Musayalla does something that again surprises people. He enters politics.

[Unknown Journalist]

That's why I came to politics.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Sidhu stands in Punjab's state elections. He's a candidate for the Congress Party, the oldest political party in India, which is then in power in Punjab. But Sidhu loses by a lot as Congress does across the state.

[Bobby Friction]

Siddhu's friend Manjinda says he went into politics because he wanted to do good. He was always talking about bringing development to his home district, building roads, improving things like cancer care. But Sidhu also saw politics as protection.

[Goldie Brar]

If he had been a member of Parliament, no one in this country would have dared kill him. Yeah, we definitely were. There were always four or five armed security guards around him. Also his uncle, his father and a couple of friends. And when the threat started getting worse, we said, you've got to put up security cameras so you can see who's coming to the house. And the family did it. And I remember we used to pull tractor trailers across the road. You know the tractor trailers, they used to carry crops. We filled them with sand and put them across the road to block access to the house because, you know, we were worried and he was a target. And we were right. What we feared, it came true.

[Bobby Friction]

This is World of Secrets Season 8.

[Ishleen Kaur]

The Killing Core a BBC World Service investigation.

[Bobby Friction]

I'm broadcaster and DJ Bobby Friction.

[Ishleen Kaur]

And I am investigative journalist ishleen Kaur.

[Bobby Friction]

Episode 5 the Last Ride hi Aisling.

[Goldie Brar]

It'S me, Goldie Brad.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Not long after getting that voice message. Yeah, I'm getting your messages from like around the year now. Goldie Brah calls me. The voice is firm, controlled, with a distinct Punjabi accent. It's the same voice as in the message. The same voice that spoke to Canada based journalist Ritesh Lakhi. We've made other checks too. He sends me photographs of him with Lawrence Bishnui, with politician Vicky Medukera. Photographs we can't find anywhere on the Internet. We can't know for sure of course, but I'm convinced he is who he says he is.

[Bobby Friction]

Isling presses Goldie Brah to let us film an interview. But he won't do it. He says he'll only talk to us over the phone and he gives us a time. 11:00 clock on Friday morning. In two days.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Okay, so to prepare, I want to go through what we know about the events of the day Sidhu was killed on May 29, 2022. What the police investigations found who's been arrested, who's still on the run.

[Bobby Friction]

There were six gunmen. Four of them have been arrested. Two were killed, but no one has been convicted yet for the murder of Siddhu Musiala.

[Ishleen Kaur]

I remember what police officer Gurmeet Chauhan, who was part of the investigation right from that first day, told us.

[Unknown Announcer]

Two of the main shooters were neutralized in a police action. 29 odd arrests have taken place. The process is still on, so we'll wait for the verdict.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Two of those were later killed in a fight in jail. There have been arrests as far away as Azerbaijan and the United States.

[Unknown Announcer]

You can say it's a global kind of conspiracy. It was a very big challenge. It was a huge challenge to put the pieces together and solve this puzzle.

[Ishleen Kaur]

A trial process has started. Among those charged with Sidhu Musiala's murder is the gang leader Lawrence Bishnui, still in a high security jail in India. And then, of course, there's Goldie Brar.

[Unknown Announcer]

Goldie Broward is one of the most.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Important persons, the man who's claimed responsibility for the murder.

[Bobby Friction]

But he's not in custody. An international warrant is out for his arrest. We think he's somewhere in North America, where he was living before Sidney's murder.

[Ishleen Kaur]

But Goldie Brah could be anywhere. Quite soon into the investigation, police made public CCTV footage from the day Sidhu died.

[Unknown Journalist]

News just coming in India today has accessed images from just moments before that cold blooded murder of singer Sidhu Musawala.

[Bobby Friction]

In the footage, you can see Sidhu's black jeep traveling through a village on his way to see his aunt. And then a white car pulling out.

[Unknown Announcer]

And following him was waiting for the singer.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Police have given us access to other CCTV footage from outside Sidhu Musiala's house before he leaves on their last journey.

[Bobby Friction]

You can see fans hanging around outside the house hoping to catch a glimpse of him. Or probably even better, just try and get a selfie.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Veteran crime reporter Jeepinderjeet Singh has watched the CCTV from that day over and over. He's since written a book about Sidhu's murder. Jeepinderjeet, can you explain exactly what we see in that CCTV footage?

[Goldie Brar]

You can see there were, I think, two angles.

[Unknown Announcer]

One angle, some fans are seen taking.

[Goldie Brar]

Selfies with him and he's conversing with them also. Then there was a little closer CCTV.

[Unknown Announcer]

In which, you know, there is this.

[Goldie Brar]

Guy whose back is seen and who.

[Unknown Announcer]

Is making a video. And later on it was learned that this guy was One of the gang.

[Goldie Brar]

Members of Loras Bishnoi and he was.

[Unknown Announcer]

Beaming all this video live to. He was on a video call with Goldie Brar.

[Bobby Friction]

So Goldie Brar was literally watching as Sidhu left his house that day.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Sidhu's official security had recently been reduced. That day he had two state security guards, but he went out without them. He had a bulletproof car, but he didn't take it. It seems there was something wrong with one of the tyres. So Goldie Brown knew that Sidhu Musiala was going out without any protection. It's time to speak to the person who is on the other end of that video call Koldi Brar. Okay. We're in a recording studio in central London. It's a small, airless room. With me is my producer, a laptop, recording equipment, a table and two chairs. The rest of the team are next door. While we wait for the call, I check my notes, looking through what we know about Goldie Brar. He was born Satyinderjeet Singh nine months after Sidhu. He's now 31. His father worked for Punjab Police. And in 2017, Goldie Brown went to Canada on his student visa. The minutes ticked by. He said 20 minutes. It's been 22 minutes now. So we're expecting his call any moment. It's been a very long wait for this day. Finally. Hello. Almost immediately we start having connection issues. Oh, it says reconnecting.

[Bobby Friction]

Great.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Okay. Hello. I can hardly hear what he's saying. The audio is quite bad because the way it works is there are four to five phones connected. So he calls from one phone and the other phone and then that's how I can speak to him. So the voice quality is not good. It's not working. So we agree will do the interview using voice notes. This is going to take ages because he's going to listen to my voice note and then he's going to record his answer. Send me the voice note. I'll have to listen to the voice note and based on that, ask him the next question. And my list is unending. Anyway, I'm not going to muck around because I don't know how much time I have with him. So I'm going to come in hard and ask him who ordered the hidden Siddhu Musewala? Who ordered the killing of Siddhu Musewala? And then I wait 11 long minutes. When it comes, his answer starts with why not who?

[Unknown Announcer]

Hi, ma' am. It wasn't a random execution. It was because of the things that he did. The People he was mixing with, he was associating with. Like our enemies. They were the people involved in the murders of our brothers.

[Ishleen Kaur]

By brothers, he's talking about the youth politician Bikki Midukera who mediated between Sidhu and Lawrence Bishnui after that kabaddi match. And his own cousin Gurlal Brar who was killed the year before. Vicky.

[Unknown Announcer]

Lawrence and Gurlal were very close. They had known each other since school. There was no reason to kill him then.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Goldybra claims Sidhu was somehow complicit in Vicky Midukhera's murder.

[Unknown Announcer]

Everyone knew his role. The police knew. Even the journalists who were investigating Vicky's case knew Sidhu's personal manager sheltered the shooters who were involved in Vicky's murder. They used Sidhu's manager's Facebook ID to browse through Vicky's profile and to get his pictures. Before Sidhu was killed, Vicky's brother pleaded in front of many journalists and the police. Asking for justice for his brother and asking for Sidhu to be investigated.

[Bobby Friction]

The police have told us there's no evidence that Sidhu Musayalla was himself involved in any way in Vicky's killing. But his friend and manager Shagampreet is wanted by Punjab Police in connection with the murder. He's denied any involvement.

[Ishleen Kaur]

But Koldibra says Sidhu did have questions to answer.

[Unknown Announcer]

He was using his political power, his money, his resources to help our rivals. Those who killed our brothers. We had no option but to kill him. When decency falls on deaf ears, it is the gunshot that gets heard.

[Goldie Brar]

It was either him or us. As simple as that.

[Ishleen Kaur]

So he's sticking to the gang rivalry story. He's sticking to the revenge story. But it's all very vague. He still hasn't given us evidence of how Sidhu is involved in those particular deaths. I've actually now asked him what evidence does he have?

[Unknown Announcer]

Everyone in our brotherhood knew what Sidhu was up to. We had spoken about it among ourselves. And we concluded that he was supporting our rivals going against us. He had to be killed. There was no other solution for him.

[Ishleen Kaur]

It's strange in a way because he's trying to justify killing someone. I really want to find out how he thinks. He can just take law in his own hands. And that's fine. That's fair. In India we have a judicial system. We have the rule of law. You took law in your own hands.

[Unknown Announcer]

Ishleen. These things only sound good on paper. Law, justice. There is no such thing. Only the powerful can expect justice. Not ordinary people like Us, Sidhu had connections. He was famous. He had money. That's why people talk about justice for Sidhu Musewala. If he was an ordinary person like our brothers and he had been murdered, no one would have cared.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Then I asked Goldie brah, what was the role of Lawrence Bishnoi, the leader of the Bishnui gang who was in jail then and still is?

[Unknown Announcer]

Madam, the thing is that Lawrence is like an older brother to me. At that time, Lawrence was being kept in isolation. He did not have access to a mobile phone. So my brothers and I, we fulfilled our responsibility.

[Ishleen Kaur]

But police documents we've seen say that Goldie Brah did coordinate with Lawrence Pishnawyi to plan the murder. There's a lot to take in, a lot to challenge. But I don't know how much time we're going to have. He could decide at any moment. He's had enough. Goldie keeps repeating that Sidhu had a lot of influence and he was making a lot of money. And he had become egoistic because of the power, money and influence. So was it actually just about Sidhu's power and the influence he had? I press Goldie brah, was the killing about creating fear?

[Unknown Announcer]

To feed a family of four, a man has to struggle all his life. We have to look after hundreds, even thousands of people who are like family. To us.

[Ishleen Kaur]

He means gang members and their families.

[Unknown Announcer]

We have to pay for their legal fees. Just for food in prison. We have to pay 100, 200,000 rupees per person. There is so much corruption. There isn't a policeman who can't be bought. It's not easy to run a group like this. Especially when it's spread across different countries. We have to extort money to keep the show running. Sometimes we have to do nasty things. It doesn't matter good or bad. You have to do what you have to do. And we do it for money. Yes, but also to show authority to exert influence.

[Ishleen Kaur]

At the beginning his voice was quite impassive. There was no emotion. But now I'm starting to hear flashes of irritation when I question him. Like when I ask why they targeted Sidhu rather than the people police say were involved in the murders of Vicky Midikera and Koldie's cousin. His answer is chilling.

[Unknown Announcer]

Madam, I do think your homework might not be complete. It's not that we have broken a compromise with them or forgiven them. They have all called and apologized and they begged for their lives. But we haven't forgiven anyone. And we will never forgive either. We will live or they will. They might be hiding anywhere in the world. Our chance will come.

[Ishleen Kaur]

I keep pressing him, does he have any remorse for what he's done?

[Unknown Announcer]

I am struggling. I am wanted in different countries. I did what I had to do for my brother. I have no remorse whatsoever. I take pride in it. If I am wrong, then let God punish me. But I feel that I can live in peace knowing I did something for my brother.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Okay, Ik last, I promise. So Goldie is getting really tired now. He's just texted me saying this is going to be the final question. We've been voice messaging each other for over six hours now. But I fail to understand. How is he still on the run? And that's going to be my last question for him today. After 20 minutes of waiting, it's clear I'm not going to get an answer. Yeah, I guess he got tired of my questions. But I've asked him some really tough questions. I asked him, what is this about? Are you trying to exert more power and influence in the world of crime? And he said, actually, you have to do it once you become a part of of this world. And that's what his life looks like now. So I walked out of the building onto a noisy London street just off Oxford Circus. I'm surrounded by shoppers and tourists and buses and these last six hours feel unreal. I've just been speaking to a man wanted for murder in India who's somewhere on the run. In his eyes, killing is justified. Almost something to be proud of.

[Bobby Friction]

And then a few weeks after Isling's conversation with Goldie brah, there's a dramatic announcement from Canada.

[Luke Lamanna]

Did you know that after World War II, the US government quietly brought former Nazi scientists to America to advance military technology? Or that in the 1950s, the army secretly released bacteria over San Francisco to test biological attacks without alerting the public? I'm Luke Lamanna, and on my new podcast, Redacted, I uncover hidden truths and reveal these shocking events that those in power have tried to bury. To hear more find follow Declassified Mysteries with me, Luke lamanna, on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Tonight on CBC Vancouver News, explosive allegations. The RCMP alleges serious criminal activity in Canada is linked to agents of the Indian government, diplomats explained.

[Bobby Friction]

On October 14, 2024, the Canadian Federal Police, the RCMP, hold a press conference. We reached a point where we felt.

[Ishleen Kaur]

It was imperative to confront the government of India and inform the public about.

[Bobby Friction]

Some very serious findings that have been.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Uncovered through our investigations.

[Bobby Friction]

The year before A Sikh separatist leader, Hardeep Singh Nijar had been killed in British Columbia and Canada accused the Indian government of involvement. Now Canadian police are accusing agents of the Indian government of being involved in other violent acts in Canada.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Involvement in homicides, extortions and other criminal acts of violence. Right from the start, the Indian government has vigorously denied all the Canadian allegations. They say Canada has provided India with no evidence and accuse it of pandering to its large Sikh community.

[Bobby Friction]

What's significant for our investigation is that now Canadian police are going further than and are saying these agents of the Indian government are using organized crime groups.

[Ishleen Kaur]

What we've seen is the use of organized crime elements. And they name one group. It's been publicly attributed and claimed by one organized crime group in particular, which is the Bishnoi group, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. And we believe that that group is connected to agents of the government. Government of India.

[Bobby Friction]

India has again firmly denied the allegations, saying it's urged Canada to act against the Bishnoi gang and provided names of individuals to be arrested and that Canada has enacted. Regardless of the claims, one thing is certain.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Today Lawrence Bishnoi is one of the most feared gang leaders in India. And now his name is being splashed across international headlines. This is him. Lawrence Bishnoi.

[Unknown Announcer]

The infamous gangster.

[Bobby Friction]

Lawrence Bishnoi and his gang is suspected to be behind the killing.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Bishnoi is a former law student turned lawbreaker.

[Bobby Friction]

And in India since Sidhu Musiala's killing, news report after news report suggests the Bishnoi gang is getting bolder and bolder.

[Ishleen Kaur]

News that's coming in. Prominent Mumbai politician shot dead.

[Unknown Announcer]

Baba Siddiqui was shot at.

[Goldie Brar]

That the probable motive for the Lawrence Bishnoi gangster being linked to the killing was to establish his criminal influence in Mumbai.

[Bobby Friction]

Meanwhile, if they can kill a rapper as famous as Sidhu Musiala or a politician like Baba Siddiqui, no one is safe. It's like Sidhu Musiala warned in some of his songs. The gangsters have taken his fame and turned it into their notoriety.

[Ishleen Kaur]

I remember that on the day that Sidhu Musiala was killed, the Tribune journalist Jhapinderjit Singh said the first question he and other journalists had was who benefits from Sidhu Musiala's murder?

[Bobby Friction]

The man who spoke to Goldie Brar on the night Sidhu died, Ritesh Lakhi is in no doubt. It's the Bishnoi gang and Goldy Brahman who've benefited.

[Ishleen Kaur]

The capacity of the gangsters to extort.

[Luke Lamanna]

More money has Increased more so Goldie Brad.

[Ishleen Kaur]

His extortion calls have been there.

[Luke Lamanna]

Many of them have been made public also by the people who have been his victims.

[Ishleen Kaur]

He is getting huge sums of money after killing Sidhu Musevala. And it's not just Goldie Brah. I've been told other gangsters, other people are also profiting. Because as we know, where there's fear, there's money. Back in Sidhu's village, Musa, his friend, the writer Manjinder Makha recalls what happened to someone who he knows. This friend went to the police after getting an extortion call.

[Goldie Brar]

And as he was coming out of the police station where he'd gone to report it, he got another call. And the caller said, why have you gone to the police station? So it feels like they were watching. They knew what was going on.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Some callers are even pretending to be Goldie Brar.

[Goldie Brar]

I got this fake call saying give us 3 million rupees or we'll kill your son, we'll kill your brother. And he told me, I am Goldie Brar and I know what you do for a living. And he did know quite a lot. He knew my brother's name, where I worked. And he built up the fear, you know, so I'd pay the money. The calls went on for seven or eight days. And in the end I went to the police and they did their job. And we found out it was this 19 year old boy.

[Bobby Friction]

Manjinder decided not to press charges. Being jailed, he says would have condemned this young boy to a life of crime.

[Goldie Brar]

Young people are getting influenced by these gangsters. By the gun culture in Punjab, by singers who sing these kind of songs. They want to be gangsters too. And they want a certain lifestyle. But they don't realize how things could end up for them.

[Ishleen Kaur]

So Bobby, let's just go over what we found through the investigation. What struck me most was how scared people were to talk about this, to talk about Sidhu, even to talk about the music, the lyrics he wrote and to talk about gangsters and Chandigarh. Becoming this fearful place is an idea that I can't see, seem to understand. It's a city. In Punjabi we used to say a city of Hari jahaniya te chitti dhaniya which means green fields and old people. And that's the Chandigarh. That's the Punjab I have grown up in. But each time that I went back, I realized it changed. The last time when I went and visited family, I was staying with family friends. They wouldn't let me out of the house without an armed guard. The easy availability of weapons blew my mind. Everywhere you went, cafes, stores to buy a bottle of water, I saw people having pistols in their pockets. There have been attacks in police stations. And this is something I remember reading in newspapers back in the 90s, you know, when Punjab was still under the cloud of terrorism or militancy. You know, they say if past is prelude, it's almost setting the context for more turbulent times.

[Bobby Friction]

The other thing that is very different for me is people themselves. I remember when Punjabi music turned from bhangra into Punjabi hip hop. And then when the lyrics turned from looking backwards through misty eyes into looking around you with scared eyes. And I kind of had this feeling, oh my God, they're aping American hip hop because it's not that violent out there. They don't need guns. This is. This is a pastiche of hip hop. And bit by bit I realized this isn't a pastiche of hip hop. They're living their own violent times. And that was a real wake up call for me. So by the time Sidhu came around, I remember listening to his lyrics very carefully because I realized it wasn't just poetry. It was like the best hip hop lyrics about their real life.

[Ishleen Kaur]

I think we have nailed down the reasons that Sidhu was killed. Power. First and foremost, people feared what Sidhu would become. Not only what he was today, but what he would become. And when you become that powerful, it's easy to make enemies everywhere. Sidhu had made too many enemies because Sidhu never backed down. He defied his enemies. He stood up to them. His enemies didn't like that.

[Bobby Friction]

Ultimately, Siddhu was a problem to quite a few different groups. And I think for them he was a problem that needed to be dealt with. Sidhu's old friend Pushpdeep, who he went to college with, recently got married. He's now living in Canada, driving trucks long distance like so many young Punjabi immigrants.

[Ishleen Kaur]

He still misses Sidhu. He says he still can't listen to some of his songs.

[Unknown Journalist]

Still now, today, like, people love to enjoy his song Last Ride, even on the ceremonies and all that stuff. But what happens with me is I get too much nostalgic listening that song. The words that he has used in his song, like he has literally described his death and even in the past songs. If we pull all the stuff together, if we check all the facts, that everything that he utter, even a single word out of his mouth has become reality, how is that even possible?

[Ishleen Kaur]

I want to know why Pushpeep Thinks that on the day he died, Sidhu went out without the two security guards when he knew his life was under threat.

[Unknown Journalist]

He was carrying all that weight on his mind, all that stress, and Sidhu was kind of a free bird. And you cannot put him in a cage. He was an eagle. He could not live a life in confinement or something like that, even if he was getting those threats. He loved to eat out and he loved to go into the farms and he used to do all the stuff that. That he loved from the core of his heart.

[Ishleen Kaur]

You did say that if Sidhu had not been so bold, he might have been alive.

[Unknown Journalist]

Yeah, maybe we could say that. Because the society, they don't like people being bold. The people that speak too much truth, they do face consequences. That's been part of the history. His parents are crying every day and they are waiting for the justice. Because like Punjab, India is a collectivist society. And still people share justice for Sidhu. Moose yah pose every day. But the justice is delayed. But we will make sure that nobody ever forget that there was a guy named Shubdeep Singh Sidhu. Because for people it is Sidhu Musiala. But for me, it's Shubhdeep Singh. And I loved the kahi. I loved my brother Shubdeep.

[Bobby Friction]

This is an interview that Sidhu Musiala gave in September 2017, a month after his first hit, so High. He's 24 years old, living in Canada, and he's on the cusp of becoming massive. The interviewer asks him about some lyrics he's written for his hero, the rapper Tupac. He starts to sing words like bombs and a voice like the devil. Live fast, die young. That's the only choice. I don't ask God for much. My only desire is that my name should echo after I'm gone. He stops.

[Ishleen Kaur]

That's all I've written so far.

[Unknown Announcer]

Winning awards is not that important to me. If I end up only singing for a short time, that's okay. What I want, though, is that if I die tomorrow, people will remember that someone came, someone was here. And they left a mark.

[Ishleen Kaur]

In March last year, the parents of Sidhu Musiala, or to give him his real name, Shupdeep Singh Sidhu announced Sidhu's mother had given birth to a baby son. They've named him Shupdeep Singh Sidhu. This has been episode five of five of the Killing Call, season eight of World of Secrets from the BBC World Service.

[Bobby Friction]

The Killing Call is a BBCI production. We hope you've enjoyed listening. Do post about World of Secrets on social media and tell people you know, leave us a rating or a review if you can. It really helps.

[Ishleen Kaur]

World of Secrets the Killing Call is presented by me, Isleen Kaur and me Bobby Friction. It's produced by Louise Hidalgo, Rob Wilson and Eamon Kwaja with script advice from Matt Willis.

[Bobby Friction]

Sound design and mix is by Tom Brignall and the Executive Producer is Rebecca Henschke.

[Ishleen Kaur]

The editor is Daniel Adamson and the BBC I Series producer is Ankur Jain. Original music by Ashish Zakaria, fact checking is by Curtis Gallant, additional research by.

[Bobby Friction]

Ajit Sarati and Arvind Chhabra. The Production Manager is Dawn Macdonald and the Production Coordinator is Katie Morrison.

[Ishleen Kaur]

Many thanks to the BBC World Service commissioning team that's behind World of Secrets.

[Bobby Friction]

And thank you for listening.

[Ishleen Kaur]

If you enjoyed listening, you might want to watch our two part BBCI documentary films too. You'll find the links in the show. Notes.

[Luke Lamanna]

Did you know that after World War II the US government quietly brought former Nazi scientists to America to advance military technology? Or that in the 1950s the army secretly released bacteria over San Francisco to test biological attacks without alerting the public? I'm Luke lamanna, and on my new podcast, Redacted, I uncover hidden truths and reveal the shocking events that those in power have tried to bury. To hear more, follow Declassified Mysteries with me, Luke lamanna on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.