HC seeks data to check if Lawrence Bishnoi TV interview triggered crime spurt

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked the Punjab DGP to submit data on the criminal cases registered after gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s interview with ABP News was broadcast last year, Bar and Bench reported.

In the television interview in March last year, Bishnoi, who is allegedly involved in over 70 cases in Punjab and is a suspect in the Sidhu Moosewala murder case, had said he knew about the murder plot.

The division bench of Justices Anupinder Singh Grewal and Lapita Banerji reportedly expressed concern after an SIT said that one of the interviews was conducted in September 2022 when Bishnoi was in the Punjab police’s custody.

However, a state-constituted panel had earlier said that it was highly improbable that the interview was conducted in jail or police custody in Punjab.

The court was reportedly hearing a suo motu matter related to use of mobile phones within jail premises by inmates. In December last year, the court had expressed concern over Bishnoi’s interview and said it could have an adverse impact on youngsters. It reiterated on Thursday that there could have been a spurt in crime after the interview was telecast.

The court will hear the matter again on September 5.