Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s interview: SC questions entry of reporter into prison

As dismissed DSP Gursher Singh Sandhu sought quashing of the proceedings in connection with an interview of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi from a prison, the Supreme Court raised questions over the entry of a journalist into the jail.

A Bench of Justice KV Viswanathan and Justice N Kotiswar Singh wondered how the reporter got access to the jail for the interview.

Noting that Sandhu’s petition challenging issuance of notices under Section 41A of the CrPC was already listed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on July 3, the Bench on June 24 allowed him to withdraw his petition. Sandhu has also challenged his dismissal.

On behalf of Sandhu, senior counsel Vikram Chaudhri argued that the notice was issued to him but the journalist who recorded the interview got interim protection from the Supreme Court. Chaudhri said Sandhu never had access to Bishnoi and that he was being selectively targeted.

To Sandhu’s contention that he was summoned under Section 41A CrPC despite not being named an accused in the FIR, the Bench pointed out that he was in charge the night before the interview.

Bishnoi is an accused in the May 29, 2022, murder of singer Sidhu Moosewala. In March 2023, a private news channel ran two interviews of Bishnoi while the alleged gangster was lodged in the high-security Bathinda jail, leading to a controversy over the use of mobile phones by prison inmates. He is now lodged in the Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat.

Punjab