The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered a fresh investigation into the controversial 2023 interview of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi that was aired by a private TV channel while he was in custody at Bathinda jail. The court expressed concerns over a potential criminal conspiracy between police officials and Bishnoi, citing the involvement of senior officers and the use of jail facilities to conduct the interview, which allegedly glorified crime.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) initially filed a cancellation report in the case, but the High Court rejected it, pointing to suspicious activities and possible offenses under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The bench, comprising Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal and Justice Lapita Banerji, noted that police officers allowed Bishnoi to use electronic devices and even provided what appeared to be a studio-like setup for the TV interview.
In its directive, the court stated, “The office of the Officer In-Charge of the police station was used as a studio to conduct the interview. The official Wi-Fi at the premises of the CIA staff was provided for this purpose, raising serious concerns about criminal conspiracy and forgery.”
The Court ordered the formation of a new SIT, to be led by Prabodh Kumar, Special DGP of the Punjab State Human Rights Commission, along with ADGPs Nageshwar Rao and Nilabh Kishore. The new SIT has been tasked with investigating offenses under the Prevention of Corruption Act, the Information Technology Act, and other related crimes. The SIT must submit its status report within six weeks.
The High Court also took issue with a statement made by the Punjab DGP during a press conference, where he claimed that no interview had taken place inside any jail in Punjab. The Court emphasized that the interview was actually conducted on the premises of the CIA staff in Kharar, SAS Nagar district, which suggested connivance between the police and the criminal. The DGP has been asked to file an affidavit explaining the basis of his earlier statement.
The bench further expressed concerns about the handling of the case by the Punjab Police. It highlighted that while seven police personnel had been suspended in connection with the case, only two of them were gazetted officers, while the rest were junior staff members. The Court warned against making lower-level officers scapegoats, adding that higher-ranking officials should also be held accountable.
“The involvement of police officials suggests the receipt of illegal gratification from the criminal or his associates, constituting serious offenses under the Prevention of Corruption Act,” said the bench.
The High Court also questioned the frequent transfers of Lawrence Bishnoi to the Kharar facility for remand and interrogation, raising concerns over the role of Shiv Kumar, a former in-charge of an investigating agency in Punjab. The court has demanded additional affidavits from the Punjab government, probing the circumstances behind Bishnoi’s repeated transfers and the potential conspiracy among police officers.