Lawrence Bishnoi’s in-custody interview: High Court summons ADGP Prisons over delayed inquiry report

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, November 27

Just over a fortnight after the Punjab and Haryana High Court described Lawrence Bishnoi’s in-custody interview as a matter of grave concern, a Division Bench on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction with the progress in the inquiry before summoning Additional Director General, Prisons.

Among other things, he has been asked to explain why the report has not been submitted.

The Bench of Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal and Justice Kirti Singh asserted a committee was constituted on March 29 to inquire into the recording and telecast of the interview by a suspect in custody.

He was stated to be in judicial custody when the interview was telecast, but the report had not been submitted even after eight months by the committee.

“We are not satisfied with the progress in the inquiry and the explanation being offered for the delay in its conclusion. We, therefore, direct the Additional Director General, Prisons, Punjab, to be present in court on the next date of hearing to explain why the report has not been submitted till date. He would also apprise the court about the measures taken by the jail authorities to stop the usage of mobile phone by the jail inmates and the calls for extortion,” the Bench observed.

As the case came up for resumed hearing, the State counsel referred to affidavits by the Additional Director-General of Prisons before submitting efforts were on to stop the smuggling of mobile phones in the jails and its usage by the inmates. She also submits that the committee, constituted to inquire into the recording and telecast of interview by Bishnoi, would require some more time to submit its report.

Appearing before the Bench, amicus curiae Tanu Bedi submitted the affidavit indicated the possible recording of second interview between February 26 and March 17. As such, it would not be difficult for the committee to establish the date, time and the place of recording. The case will now come up for further hearing on December 14.

The petition, listed as public interest litigation, has its genesis in suo motu notice was taken by a Single Bench on mobile phone use within the jail premises by the inmates and steps in place to curb the entry of such prohibited items.

The Single Judge had questioned how the guards posted at watch towers were oblivious to articles being thrown across the boundary wall before being successfully retrieved by the inmates. The Bench also observed it come to its notice that one of the suspects in Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu Moosewala’s case, Lawrence Bishnoi, was interviewed by a news-channel. The interview was telecast from March 14 to 17.