New Delhi:
Mafia boss Lawrence Bishnoi's interview to a private channel in September 2022 – while in police custody – was again red-flagged by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday, which gave the cops “studio-like facilities”. Criticized for doing so for “glorification of crime”.
The court — as part of its own hearing on inmates using mobile phones and other electronic devices — followed an August 2024 order directing disciplinary action against senior police officials who facilitated Bishnoi's interview. He blamed the Punjab government for not doing so.
Justices Anupinder Singh and Lapita Banerjee noted that “police officers allowed the offender to use (an) electronic device and provided a studio-like facility for conducting interviews, which were conducted by the offender and his accomplices in other crimes.” Defines crime with its ability to facilitate.” .
Emphasizing the need for further investigation, the court said the involvement of senior police officers “could suggest receipt of illegal gratification from the accused or his accomplices.”
The court ordered a fresh inquiry – a three-member team headed by Special Director General of Police Prabodh Kumar attached to the State Human Rights Commission.
Mr. Kumar told the court that the team did not have the mandate to conduct the inquiry, but his objection was overruled, and the SIT was told to “probe criminal conspiracy, abetment, (and) forgery”. Further investigation” and file a report. within six weeks.
The scathing remarks about gangster Lawrence Bishnoi – whose gang also has a base in Canada, and has been linked to criminal activities in the country, including murder and extortion – came as the High Court directed the SIT. questioned the closure report filed by Research team.
Lawrence Bishnoi, who the court noted is involved in 71 criminal cases in Punjab alone, including four under the Anti-Terrorism Act UAPA, is also accused in the murder of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moswala. He was interviewed by a Hindi news channel in March 2023.
The interview allegedly took place in the presence of senior Punjab police officials and constituted a “breach of security”, the high court said, as it required the police to submit an “inconclusive report” – for eight months. Also rapped for time invested for more. Alleged security breach.
In its August order, the court had demanded action against senior police officials involved, and warned the Punjab government against making junior officers “scapegoats”.
Seven policemen were suspended last week, but only two were officers – Deputy Superintendent Girsher Singh and Samar Vineet. “No action seems to have been taken against the senior officers of the district…” a bench remarked and sought a reply from the Punjab police chief.
The court also asked the police chief why he had said, in an earlier press conference, that the interview did not take place in a Punjab jail when he had done so in the state's SAS Nagar district.
Also, the High Court in today's hearing noted that the police station to which Bishnoi was shifted (for the interview) was used. All this, the court said, “points to a criminal conspiracy” and a nexus between the erring cops and the criminals.
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“He has (also) reiterated (his) threat to a film actor and justified it,” the court added, referring to the death threats to Bollywood star Salman Khan that have made headlines in recent months. I am
The court was also outraged when copies of the interview surfaced online despite an order to remove it from all social media platforms in December. “These interviews are said to have garnered more than 12 million views. This will have a negative impact on the impressionable youth. Punjab is a border state and any breakdown of law and order or increase in crime will have a national impact. may affect security.”
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Copies of the interview surfaced online after the October 13 killing of Maharashtra politician Baba Siddiqui, who was a member of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's NCP faction.
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