Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s interview not from Punjab jail, says DGP

Punjab Police chief says no mobile signal possible in high-security Bathinda jail, where gangster lodged in isolated cell

Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav on Thursday categorically denied that the interview of dreaded gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is the main conspirator of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala’s killing, to a private news channel was conducted from inside a prison in the state.

Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi was brought to the Central Jail in Bathinda on March 8 and was lodged in an isolated cell in the high-security zone after thorough checking, Punjab Police DGP Gaurav Yadav said on Thursday. (HT file photo)

Addressing a press conference on the issue, Yadav said, “Bishnoi was brought to the Central Jail in Bathinda on March 8 and was lodged in an isolated cell in the high-security zone after thorough checking. This zone is guarded by a double cordon of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and no mobile phone can be operated from there. No mobile signal is possible from this zone.”

Further, the state police chief, pointed out that Bishnoi has a long beard in the interview but when he was brought to Bathinda jail earlier this month and was medically examined, he had a short beard. The DGP also released photos of Bishnoi after his medical examination to buttress his point.

On Tuesday, the video of Bishnoi’s interview to the private news channel sent the Punjab prisons department into a tizzy. The video came days after clips showing jailed gangsters linked to the Bishnoi gang bragging about killing two members of rival Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang inside Goindwal jail were widely shared on social media, causing embarrassment to the state government following which five officials, including the jail superintendent, were arrested.

In an hour-long interview, Bishnoi admitted to his role of a key conspirator in the Moosewala killing. The gangster is heard saying that he had arranged everything according to the plan, which was hatched along with another gangster Satinderjit Singh, alias Goldy Brar.

Brar, who is based in Canada, has also been booked in the case.

When the interviewer asked Bishnoi how he managed to procure a phone for the video interview from inside a jail, the gangster said that he knew how to exploit loopholes in the prisons department.

Opposition parties, including the Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP, have sought a thorough probe into the matter.