Supreme Court Dismisses Lawrence Bishnoi’s Plea Against Formation of SIT and FIR Over Jail Interview

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea by jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s decision to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and register FIRs concerning his televised interview conducted within jail premises.

The bench, comprising Justice Bela M. Trivedi and Justice S.C. Sharma, declined to intervene in the High Court’s directive, emphasizing the importance of proceeding with the investigation. “Let it be investigated. It is a matter of investigation. There are 73 cases filed against you,” the justices remarked during the hearing.

Bishnoi’s legal counsel argued that the gangster had not been given an opportunity to be heard before the High Court passed its order. Furthermore, the counsel noted that despite the examination of multiple witnesses, no incriminating evidence had been found to substantiate the claims against Bishnoi.

However, the Supreme Court directed Bishnoi to seek recourse at the High Court level instead of looking for relief from the apex court.

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The controversy stems from two interviews with Bishnoi aired by a private news channel in March of the previous year, raising serious questions about security and regulations within prison facilities. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had subsequently initiated a suo motu case concerning the use of mobile phones by inmates, leading to the order for FIR registration and the SIT investigation, headed by IPS officer Prabodh Kumar.