Supreme Court Dismisses Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's Plea Challenging FIRs Over Giving Prison Interview
Today, the Supreme Court bench of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma dismissed a plea challenging the first information reports (FIRs) lodged against gangster Lawrence Bishnoi on the direction of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in connection with the interview given to a private TV while being lodged in high-security prison.
The high court's direction was based on the special investigation team (SIT) constituted to investigate how Bishnoi, lodged in high-security Bathinda jail, appeared in two interviews conducted by a private TV channel. The interview allegedly sparked controversy regarding the use of mobiles by inmates inside jail. Apparently, the interview was recorded over a video call.
Bishnoi is facing charges in the murder of Punjab singer Sindhu Moosewala which took place on May 29, 2022. Punjab police had alleged that Bishnoi had plotted the murder in Tihar jail, where he is serving jail under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999. He has approximately 57 FIRs registered against him including in Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
He is currently lodged in Sabarmati jail.
A plea seeking probe into the interviews taken of Bishnoi was dismissed as withdrawn before the Punjab and Haryana High Court last year. In an official statement, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav claimed that the interviews in question were not recorded inside any of the state's jails.
Subsequently, in March 2023, the Punjab government informed the high court in a public interest litigation that it had formed a committee consisting to probe how the interview took place.
In November 2023, the high court took suo moto cognisance against the usage of phones inside jail premises by inmates and sought what steps could be taken to curb the entry of prohibited items. The court also reprimanded the committee, probing how Bishnoi was able to get the interview, but has not been able to arrive at any conclusion.
Subsequently, the court directed the ADGP(Prisons) Punjab, who is a part of the committee constituted by Punjab government, to inquire whether Bishnoi has access to a mobile phone in the prison. The development came after a protection plea was filed by a military contractor alleging that in October one Deepak Tinu called and connected him on conference to Bishnoi, who threatened him of dire consequences.
In December 2023, ADGP (Prison) submitted the report and the committee found that “it is highly improbable that interview of the suspect had been conducted in any of the jails in the State of Punjab or within the State of Punjab when he was in police custody.”
The report added that Bishnoi was not even in Haryana during the interview as he was taken to different places which was required in other cases outside the two states.
The ADGP (Prison) also stated that a written request has been sent to the authorities to remove the interview from the public domain.
The committee reported that several measures, including the installation of jammers, CCTV cameras, body scanners, putting up nets on the boundary walls to prevent the throwing of mobile phones, and the augmentation of the jail staff (as it is currently working at 60% of its strength), are being taken to strengthen prison security.
Further, the high court formed a three-member SIT headed by Prabodh Kumar IPS, Special DGP, Punjab State Human Rights Commission, to investigate Bishnoi's TV interview to determine the accountability of the officials involved. It also directed that FIRs be lodged in the case pertaining to the interviews.
Case details: Lawrence Bishnoi vs The State of Punjab & Ors, Diary No. 26683/2024