‘Panjab Police Facilitated Bishnoi’s Interview,’ says Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court (PHHC) pulled up the Special Investigation Team (SIT) looking into the Lawrence Bishnoi interview case saying police officers permitted Bishnoi to use electronic devices and provided a studio-like setting for his interview (SDW Vol 2, Issue 29, Story 4), which glorified crime. PHHC has ordered a new SIT to probe ‘criminal conspiracy, abetment, forgery and offenses under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Information Technology Act and also other offenses.’ Meanwhile, on 29 Oct, two shooters backed by foreign handlers were arrested in Lucknow in connection with four Panjab murders, following a joint operation by Panjab Police’s anti-gangster task force and Uttar Pradesh Police. The arrested are identified as Bikramjit alias Vicky and Panjab Singh from Sur Singh and Sandhra villages in Tarn Taran district. Vicky was linked to the murder of Gopi Chohla in Taran Tarn on 1 Mar, while Panjab Singh was a key suspect in the triple murder of Dildeep Singh and two relatives in Ferozepur in Sept 2023. The Crime Branch of Mumbai Police initiated the extradition process to bring back Anmol Bishnoi, the younger brother of Lawrence Bishnoi, from the US. Anmol is wanted in connection with a firing incident outside actor Salman Khan’s residence in Bandra, Mumbai. At the same time, on 30 Oct, Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia announced that a Winnipeg man has been charged and another suspect is sought in connection with an attack on the Vancouver Island home of Panjabi singer AP Dhillon. Bishnoi had previously claimed responsibility for the attack.