Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's First Viral Interview Glorifying Crime Was Conducted In Punjab Police Custody: SIT Tells High Court

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court has revealed that gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's first interview "glorifying crime and criminals" was conducted when he was in Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) premises in Punjab's Kharar.

CIA is a special branch of the Punjab Police. Bishnoi was in custody in connection with a drugs and arms case.

Earlier, the State government had claimed that it was highly improbable that the interview was conducted either in jail or in the police custody.

However, the bench of Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal and Justice Lapita Banerji was "disquieted" to note that in the first interview which was conducted on the night intervening 3rd and 4th September, 2022, Bishnoi was in the premises of CIA, Kharar. While giving the second interview, he was in Rajasthan.

The interviews justify targeted killings and criminal activities, the Court had earlier said. It apprehends that the viral interview, with nearly 12 million views on Youtube, may have encouraged criminals.

Court has therefore now directed Punjab's DGP to file an affidavit "setting out the number and details of registration of criminal cases especially those relating to extortion/threatening calls, calls for ransom, abduction and intimidation of witnesses in the State of Punjab w.e.f. March, 2023 uptil December, 2023 when the interviews were directed to be removed from the website/channel/URL and 09 months prior to the broadcast of the interview."

The Court was hearing its suo moto case against the use of mobile phones in the prisons. It observed that though Punjab Police is one of the best police forces in the Country, there is an urgent need to  identify the "black sheep" in the force and bring the corrupt officials to books.

The matter is now listed on September 05, for further consideration.

Ms. Tanu Bedi, Advocate as Amicus Curiae and Ms. Pooja Dahiya, Advocate.

Mr. Arun Gosain, Senior Govt. Counsel for the respondent/UOI.

Mr. Aftab Singh Khara, Senior DAG, Punjab.

Mr. Ashish Yadav, Addl. A.G., Haryana.

Mr. Munish Bansal, Public Prosecutor, UT, Chandigarh and

Mr. Rajiv Vij, Additional Public Prosecutor for UT, Chandigarh.

Mr. Gourave Bhayyia Gilhotra, Advocate and Mr. Vishwajeet Singh, Advocate for the applicant in CM-85-CWPIL-2023.

Title: COURT ON ITS OWN MOTION V/S STATE OF PUNJAB AND ORS.

Click here to read/download the order