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Lawrence Bishnoi interviews: Two FIRs registered, Punjab tells HC
The information was given during a resumed hearing of a suo motu plea initiated in November taking note of reports that two interviews of the jailed gangster were conducted. The gangster was interviewed by a news channel and it was telecast on March 14 and March 17
The Punjab Police on Wednesday told the high court that two FIRs have been registered to probe two interviews conducted by a private channel of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who has been behind bars for years now.
It was last month that the high court had ordered registration of two FIRs and handed over the probe to a special investigation team (SIT). The court was informed that around 105 web links of the interviews have been deleted as directed by the high court.
The information was given during a resumed hearing of a suo motu plea initiated in November taking note of reports that two interviews of the jailed gangster were conducted. The gangster was interviewed by a news channel and it was telecast on March 14 and March 17.
“As in a large number of cases wherein he is involved, trials are underway and attempt to projecting his persona as larger than life could influence the witnesses. These interviews are stated to have garnered over 12 million views. It would have an adverse impact upon youngsters with impressionable minds. There is a thin line between extortion, target killings and anti–national activities,” the bench had observed stating that the conduct of the interviews is an apparent jail security breach and violation of the Prisons Act. Hence, the court had ordered the registration of criminal cases.
At the time of the telecast, Bishnoi was in Bathinda jail. A Punjab police probe had claimed that it was unlikely that interviews were conducted when he was in Punjab jails.
On the last date of hearing the court had also sought a timeline on steps for augmenting/streamlining jail security. The court was informed that the timeline given would be reworked and efforts would be made to put in place the measures in the shortest time possible. It was also submitted that permission for the installation of body scanners would be required from the Government of India, which may take some more time. Now the matter stands adjourned for January 25.
