The Punjab and Haryana High Court issued a directive on Thursday to the additional director general of prisons in Punjab. The directive was in response to the court's awareness of limited progress in a case concerning a television interview with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, which was broadcast nearly eight months ago. The court instructed the official to submit an affidavit regarding the matter.

A panel of judges, including Justices Anupinder Singh Grewal and Kirti Singh, conveyed their apprehensions about the interview. They noted with concern that Lawrence Bishnoi, a defendant in the 2022 murder case involving singer Sidhu Moosewala, was either in police custody or under judicial confinement at the time of the television interview.

The court emphasized the need to promptly identify and hold accountable those individuals who facilitated the interview.

The court acknowledged the interview during the hearing of a suo-motu case, which means the court initiated the proceedings on its own accord. 

In March, a private television news channel aired a two-part interview featuring Lawrence Bishnoi. At that time, the Punjab Police asserted that the interview had not been recorded in any of the state's jails. 

Following the incident, the police subsequently established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the matter.

The court order stated, "It has also come to our notice that one of the suspects in the murder of Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu Moosewala, namely Lawrence Bishnoi, had been interviewed by a news channel. The interview was telecast from March 14, 2023, to March 17, 2023. The suspect was reported to be in the custody of the Punjab Police or under judicial custody in the state of Punjab at that time."

In response to the court's inquiry regarding the custody status of the suspect during the interview, the counsel for the Punjab government informed the court that Lawrence Bishnoi was in judicial custody at Bathinda Jail when the interview was broadcast. The counsel also mentioned ongoing efforts to determine the specific time and location of the interview.

In March, a two-member committee, consisting of the special Director General of Police (STF) and the Additional Director General of Police (Prisons), was established to investigate the matter. The inquiry is currently in progress.

The court expressed serious concern over the fact that a suspect, who was either in police or judicial custody, was permitted to give a detailed interview. The court, as per its order, emphasized the importance of identifying and holding accountable the officer(s) who allowed or facilitated the interview, stating that appropriate action should be taken against them promptly.

The court noted that the committee was formed in March 2023, and seven months have passed without significant progress. The order stated that the additional director general of prisons is required to submit an affidavit explaining the reasons for the delay in the committee's report.

The court additionally appointed advocate Tanu Bedi to assist as an "amicus curiae" (friend of the court) in the case. The next hearing is scheduled for November 28.