Today, the Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma dismissed a plea challenging the FIRs filed against gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.

These FIRs were lodged based on the directives of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, following an interview Bishnoi gave to a private TV channel while in high-security prison.

The High Court's directive was based on the findings of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to investigate how Lawrence Bishnoi, who was lodged in the high-security Bathinda jail, appeared in two interviews conducted by a private TV channel. The interviews allegedly sparked controversy over the use of mobile phones by inmates inside the jail, as they were apparently recorded over a video call.

Lawrence Bishnoi is facing charges in connection with the murder of Punjab singer Sindhu Moosewala, which occurred on May 29, 2022. The Punjab police have alleged that Bishnoi orchestrated the murder while he was incarcerated in Tihar Jail, where he is serving time under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999. Bishnoi has approximately 57 FIRs registered against him, including charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Bishnoi is currently lodged in Sabarmati Jail. A plea seeking an investigation into the interviews with Bishnoi was dismissed as withdrawn before the Punjab and Haryana High Court last year. In an official statement, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav claimed that the interviews in question were not recorded inside any of the state's jails.

Subsequently, in March 2023, the Punjab government informed the High Court in a public interest litigation that it had formed a committee to investigate how the interviews took place.

In November 2023, the High Court took suo moto cognisance of the use of phones by inmates inside jail premises and sought measures to curb the entry of prohibited items. The court also reprimanded the committee investigating how Bishnoi was able to conduct the interview, noting that the committee had not been able to arrive at any conclusion.

Subsequently, the court directed the ADGP (Prisons) Punjab, who is part of the committee constituted by the Punjab government, to investigate whether Bishnoi has access to a mobile phone in prison. This development came after a protection plea was filed by a military contractor, alleging that in October, one Deepak Tinu called and connected him on a conference call with Bishnoi, who threatened him with dire consequences.

In December 2023, the ADGP (Prisons) submitted a report in which the committee found that "it is highly improbable that the interview of the suspect had been conducted in any of the jails in the State of Punjab or within the State of Punjab when he was in police custody."

The report added that Bishnoi was not even in Haryana during the interview, as he was taken to different locations required for other cases outside the two states. The ADGP (Prisons) also stated that a written request had been sent to the authorities to remove the interview from the public domain.

The committee reported that several measures are being taken to strengthen prison security, including the installation of jammers, CCTV cameras, body scanners, and nets on the boundary walls to prevent the throwing of mobile phones. Additionally, efforts are underway to augment the jail staff, which is currently operating at only 60% of its strength. 

In response, the High Court formed a three-member SIT, led by Prabodh Kumar IPS, Special DGP of the Punjab State Human Rights Commission, to investigate Bishnoi's TV interview and determine the accountability of the officials involved. The court also directed that FIRs be lodged in connection with the interviews.

Case details: Lawrence Bishnoi vs The State of Punjab & Ors, Diary No. 26683/2024