Punjab and Haryana High Court directs new probe into police conduct in Lawrence Bishnoi interview case

Just about a fortnight after the Punjab and Haryana High Court took exception to the cancellation report filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the Lawrence Bishnoi interview case, a division bench has directed that a “new” special investigation team to carry out further investigation. It has been asked to probe “criminal conspiracy, abetment, forgery and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Information Technology Act and also under any other offence”.

The direction came as the bench of Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal and Justice Lapita Banerji asserted that the report under Section 173 of the CrPC gave rise to “suspicion of nexus and conspiracy between the police officers and the criminal”.

The bench observed that the police officers allowed the criminal to use electronic device and provide a studio-like facility to conduct the interview tending to glorify crime with the potential to facilitate other offenses including extortion by the criminal and his associates.

“The involvement of the police officers may suggest receipt of illegal gratification from the criminal or his associates and constitute offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Therefore, the case requires further investigation,” the bench observed.

The court also demanded an affidavit from the state DGP, explaining why Bishnoi was detained at the CIA premises for an extended period. The court also asked for an explanation for a previous statement made by the DGP claiming no interview occurred in jail.

The bench asserted the state was also asked to specify whether repeated remands to keep Bishnoi there was a deliberate attempt to retain him at the same station for extraneous reasons or whether he was generally required for investigation. But the affidavit addressing the court concern had not been filed till date.

“Earlier it came to the notice of this court that the DGP had made a statement in a press conference that the interview had not taken place in any jail in the state of Punjab. The fact that the interview had been conducted within the premises of CIA staff, Kharar, SAS Nagar district, makes it even worse as it appears to have been conducted in connivance with the police officers. Therefore, we direct the DGP, Punjab to disclose on affidavit the basis of such statement made during press conference,” the court added.

The bench also took note of the state’s submission that seven Punjab Police officers/officials had been placed under suspension and departmental proceedings had been initiated following the interview. “This court, by order dated August 7 had specifically directed that action should be taken against the senior officers who had facilitated the interview and the lower level officers should not be made scapegoats. No action appears to have been taken against the senior officers of the district,” the bench asserted.