Give 'Lawrence Bishnoi studio-like facilities', HC strong reprimand on gangster's interview

Though the Punjab and Haryana High Court has strongly reprimanded the Punjab Police in the case of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's interview from jail. While HC said that the cancellation report filed by the SIT raises suspicion about collusion between the police and the gangster.

However, the High Court has been also ordered a fresh investigation into Lawrence's interview given to the private channel while he was in Bathinda jail in 2023.

In the meanwhile, a TV channel had interviewed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi while he is still in jail. The matter has now reached the court, and the court has reprimanded the police as well as the Punjab government in the case.

During the hearing, the court said, 'The police allowed the criminal to use electronic equipment and provided studio-like facilities for the interview, which glorifies crime. This is likely to encourage other crimes including extortion by the criminal and his associates.'

Punjab government also reprimanded

HC also pulled up the government led by Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann in this case. The court said that lower-level officials are being made scapegoats. The bench headed by Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal and Lapita Banerjee said that among the suspended officers, only two were gazetted officers, while the rest were junior employees.

Mentioned indication of receiving bribe

During the hearing, the bench said, 'There is an indication of illegal bribe from the criminal or his associates through the connivance of police officers. This would constitute an offense under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Therefore, further investigation is needed in the matter.'

7 policemen have been suspended in this case

Let us tell you that in this case, recently Punjab Police suspended 7 policemen including two Deputy Superintendent rank officers. However, the court has expressed concern over the role of former in-charge of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Shiv Kumar. Who was dismissed, but he remained on extension.

HC expressed displeasure over non-submission of affidavit

Although the court said that we had clearly mentioned in our previous order that lower-level officers should not be made scapegoats. Additionally, the court also questioned the non-submission of affidavits by senior officers regarding the interview of Bishnoi inside the Punjab jail.

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One in Punjab and the other in Rajasthan

The court asked, why did the DGP say that no interview took place in the Punjab jail and why Section 120-B of the Criminal Conspiracy Act was not imposed on the officers involved? The Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the Special Director General of Police (Human Rights) admitted that one interview of Bishnoi was conducted during his detention in Kharar, Mohali, while the other was in Rajasthan. Following these findings, seven policemen were suspended