Punjab Government Suspends Seven Officers Over Lawrence Bishnoi’s Controversial Custody Interview

The Punjab government has taken action in response to the controversial 2022 interview of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, which was conducted while he was in police custody. Seven police officers have been suspended for their alleged negligence and dereliction of duty.

Among those suspended are two deputy superintendents, Gursher Singh and Sammer Vaneet, along with several sub-inspectors and a head constable. Those were: Sub-Inspector Reena, CIA, Khara, Sub-Inspector (LR) Jagtapal Jangu, AGTF, Sub-Inspector (LR) Shaganjit Singh, ASI Mukhtiar Singh and Head Constable (LR) Om Prakash

The decision to suspend these officers comes after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) found that the interview, conducted via video conference from the Kharar CIA police station, raised serious concerns about security protocols. The investigation, initiated under the direction of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, revealed that the interview should not have taken place, leading to questions about the conduct of the Punjab Police.

The suspended officers have been accused of allowing the interview to happen, which has sparked widespread criticism of the police’s handling of the situation. The Punjab Home Department has registered a First Information Report (FIR) on January 5, 2024, at the State Crime Police Station in Phase 4, Mohali. The FIR includes several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC): 384 (extortion), 201 (destruction of evidence), 202 (concealment of information), 506 (threat), 116 (abetment of crime), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy). Additionally, the case was registered under Section 46 of the Jail Act 1894, which was later updated to Section 52(1) of the Jail (Punjab Amendment Act 2011). Consequently, the Punjab Police has suspended seven officers involved.

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