Lawrence Bishnoi's ‘jail’ interview: SIT claims progress in probe, demands more time
Chandigarh, July 11
Nearly seven months after the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the registration of two FIRs following an in-custody interview of “known criminal” Lawrence Bishnoi, special investigation team (SIT) head Prabodh Kumar has claimed “substantial progress” in the probe, while seeking additional time for its completion. The team was directed in December last year to conclude the investigation expeditiously and file a status report within two months.
As the matter came up for resumed hearing before the Division Bench of Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal and Justice Kirti Singh, the State counsel filed status reports in a sealed cover. Kumar, appearing via videoconferencing, submitted that significant progress had been made in the investigation of the two FIRs. He requested three more months to complete the investigation in the first FIR, citing a “legal impediment regarding territorial jurisdiction” in the second matter.
The State counsel further informed the Bench that substantial progress had been made in augmenting jail security and that the process for installing jammers had been initiated. Taking note of these submissions, the Bench fixed August 7 as the next date of hearing.
The Bench had, on a previous date of hearing, made it clear that the SIT would be headed by Kumar, with S Rahul and Nilambari Vijay Jagadale as members. The Bench had added that the interviewee was involved in 71 cases in Punjab and convicted in four matters, including offences under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Section 302 of the IPC and extortions. He was justifying target killings and his criminal activities, while reiterating and justifying threat to a film actor. The trials were under way in a large number of cases and attempt to project his persona as larger than life could influence the witnesses. The interviews were stated to have garnered over 12 million views having an adverse impact on youngsters with impressionable minds.
