The Punjab and Haryana High Court has sharply criticized Punjab Police officers for allegedly allowing gangster Lawrence Bishnoi to use a senior officer’s office as a "studio" for a televised interview. The court noted that this conduct raises concerns of complicity and corruption within the police force.
In a directive for further action, a division bench led by Justices Anupinder Singh Grewal and Lapita Banerji ordered the formation of a new Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate potential collusion and conspiracy between the police officers and Lawrence Bishnoi. This decision followed a submission from Prabodh Kumar, Special DGP of the Punjab State Human Rights Commission, who reported that the previous SIT, under his leadership, was not authorized to investigate additional alleged offenses involving police misconduct.
The court expressed serious concern over how police officers facilitated the interview, noting that they provided both electronic devices and a controlled environment, enabling Bishnoi to broadcast content that appeared to glorify crime and could incite further offenses, including extortion. The judges observed that such involvement could imply illegal gratification and potential violations under the Prevention of Corruption Act, necessitating a deeper investigation.
“The police officers allowed the criminal to use electronic device and provided a studio like facility to conduct the interview which tends to glorify crime with the potential to facilitate other crimes including extortion by the criminal and his associates. Involvement of the police officers may suggest receipt of illegal gratification from the criminal or his associates and constitute offences under Prevention of Corruption Act. Therefore, the case requires further investigation,” Bar and Bench quoted the court as saying.
The court’s scrutiny intensified following the previous SIT’s submission of a cancellation report to a magistrate, which concluded that charges under sections beyond Section 506 of the IPC were unsubstantiated. However, the SIT did confirm that Bishnoi’s interview was conducted within the CIA office in Kharar and identified lapses by police personnel, which the court found alarming.
In March 2023, Bishnoi—suspected in the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala—had an interview aired on ABP News in which he discussed the murder plot. During the hearing, the bench noted that the CIA staff premises, including official Wi-Fi, were used to facilitate the interview and raised suspicions of a broader criminal conspiracy. The court highlighted the fabrication of the police record (roznamcha) and questioned whether these actions were part of an orchestrated scheme involving financial incentives.
The court’s ruling directs the new SIT to thoroughly investigate under the Prevention of Corruption Act and other relevant statutes, ensuring that all aspects of potential misconduct and complicity are examined.