New Delhi: The Punjab and Haryana high court has said that police officers in Punjab provided a studio-like facility to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and facilitated his interview with a news channel.
The remarks were made by a bench of Justices Anupinder Singh Grewal and Lapita Banerji while the court was hearing a suo motu matter related to the use of mobile phones by jail inmates, reported Bar and Bench.
“The police officers allowed the criminal to use electronic device and provided a studio like facility to conduct the interview which tends to glorify crime with the potential to facilitate other crimes including extortion by the criminal and his associates. Involvement of the police officers may suggest receipt of illegal gratification from the criminal or his associates and constitute offences under Prevention of Corruption Act. Therefore, the case requires further investigation,” said the Court.
The court also questioned the decision of a special investigation team (SIT) to file a cancellation report in the case related to the interview given by Bishnoi.
““The office of the Officer Incharge of the Police Station was used as a studio to conduct the interview. The official Wi-Fi at the premises of the CIA staff had been provided for conducting the interview which is a pointer towards the criminal conspiracy. The report indicates that roznamcha was also forged and fabricated. The matter calls for further investigation as to for what consideration this was done and the various aspects towards offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act besides other offences need to be examined,” said the court.
The court has ordered further investigation in the matter.
The Canadian police had recently accused Indian diplomats in Canada of using Bishnoi’s gang for “involvement in homicides, extortions and other criminal acts of violence” in the country.
