‘Studio-Like Facility, Glorification of Crime’: HC Pans Punjab for Lawrence Bishnoi Prison Interview

Last Update:30 October 2024 15:52 IST

The court ordered a new investigation, stating that the involvement of senior police officers in the incident “could give the impression that illegal gratification was obtained from the criminal or his accomplices.”

Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi emerges from the Amritsar court complex amid heavy police security in October 2022. His gang was involved in the murder of singer Sidhu Moose Wala and recently politician Baba Siddique. (Getty Images)

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday scolded the Punjab Police for providing a “studio-like facility” to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi for a TV interview in September 2022 that led to “glorification of crime”.

Condemning the Punjab government for not complying with the August 2024 order directing disciplinary action against senior police officers who helped conduct the interview, Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal and Justice Lapita Banerji said: The studio to conduct the interview. The official Wi-Fi connection at the CIA staff’s premises was provided to conduct the interview, indicating a criminal conspiracy. The report also shows that roznamcha is fake and fabricated.”

The court noted that the matter needs to be investigated further and various aspects related to offenses under the Prevention of Corruption Act, among other offences, need to be examined.

Stating that the involvement of senior police officers in the incident “could create the impression that illegal gratification was obtained from the criminal or his accomplices”, the court ordered a fresh investigation by a three-member team led by Special Director General of Police Prabodh Kumar of the state police. Human Rights Commission.

The development comes after the SIT constituted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court found that Bishnoi’s first interview, which “glorified crime and criminals”, was held at the Criminal Investigation Agency (CIA) premises in Punjab’s Kharar, while the second interview was held in Jaipur jail. came. .

During the previous hearing, the court had expressed shock over the SIT’s investigation into TV interviews done by the gangster as he failed to inform the court about Punjab Police’s recommendation to quash the FIR in the matter.

Seven cops were suspended last week, but only two were civil servants: Sub-Inspectors Gursheer Singh and Sammer Vaneet. “No action seems to have been taken against senior officers of the district…” the court said while seeking a response from the Punjab Police chief.

Lawrence Bishnoi, who the court said was involved in 71 criminal cases in Punjab alone, including four under the UAPA anti-terrorism law, is also a suspect in the murder of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala. He was interviewed by an Indian news channel in March 2023.

The court was also disturbed that copies of the interview had resurfaced online, despite a December order to remove it from all social media platforms. “It is stated that these interviews were watched more than 12 million times. It will have a negative impact on young people with impressionable minds. “Punjab is a border state and any breakdown in law and order or increase in crime could affect national security.”

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Chandigarh, India