Punjab & Haryana HC Orders Fresh Investigation In Bishnoi Interview Case

Just two weeks after the Punjab and Haryana High Court expressed concerns about a cancellation report filed by the special investigation team in the Lawrence Bishnoi interview case, a Division Bench has ordered the establishment of a new special investigation team to conduct further inquiries.

This new team is tasked with investigating potential “criminal conspiracy, abetment, forgery, and violations of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Information Technology Act,” among other offenses.

The directive came from Justices Anupinder Singh Grewal and Lapita Banerji, who noted that the report submitted under Section 173 of the CrPC raised suspicions about a possible nexus and conspiracy between police officers and the accused criminal.

The judges highlighted that police officers allegedly allowed the criminal to use electronic devices and provided a studio-like environment for the interview, actions that could glorify criminal behavior and facilitate other offenses, including extortion.

The court emphasized that the involvement of police personnel might indicate illegal gratification received from the criminal or his associates, thus warranting a deeper investigation.

Additionally, the judges demanded an affidavit from the state’s Director General of Police (DGP) explaining why Bishnoi was detained at the CIA premises for an extended period. They also sought clarification regarding a prior statement from the DGP, asserting that no interview had occurred in jail.

The court questioned whether repeated remands of Bishnoi were an attempt to keep him at the same location for inappropriate reasons or if they were genuinely necessary for the investigation. Notably, the requested affidavit addressing these concerns had not yet been submitted.

The Bench pointed out that the DGP had previously stated in a press conference that the interview had not taken place in any Punjab jail. The revelation that the interview was conducted at the CIA staff premises in Kharar, SAS Nagar, raised serious questions about potential collusion with police officers.

Consequently, the court ordered the DGP to clarify the basis of his public statement through an affidavit.

Moreover, the court noted that, following the interview, seven police officers from Punjab had been suspended, and departmental proceedings were initiated. The judges reminded the state that, in an earlier order dated August 7, they had specifically instructed that action should be taken against senior officers involved in facilitating the interview, rather than allowing lower-level officials to bear the blame.

The Bench expressed concern that no action appeared to have been taken against the senior officers responsible.

This ongoing case underscores the critical issues of accountability and transparency within law enforcement, highlighting the need for a thorough investigation into potential misconduct.