A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Punjab Police told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that during its investigation, it was revealed that one of the two interviews of jailed gangster, Lawrence Bishnoi, was conducted within Punjab. The interview of the main accused Sidhu Moosewala’s murder was conducted through the signal app while he was lodged in the Bathinda jail as per reports.
The SIT was formed after two private news channel broadcasted back-to-back interviews with Bishnoi on March 14 and 17 in 2023. The team was formed to investigate the circumstances under which the interview could have taken place.
At the time of the interviews, Bishnoi was lodged in the Bathinda jail. When the interviews were first broadcast, questions were raised about how and when the inmates had the access to mobile phones within the jail premises and the steps in place to curb their entry. The High Court had called it a matter of grave concern and the matter was being investigated by a two-member committee, comprising Special Director General of Police, STF, and the Additional Director General of Police, Prisons, constituted in March.
A senior advocate on the case informed the media that it was alleged that the interview had been conducted from within a jail, however when the Punjab DGP was questioned, he said that while the interview may be illegal, he could not take action as it was not conducted within Punjab. However, the SIT has now confirmed that the first interview was conducted within the Punjab boundaries.
Lawrence Bishnoi is also the main accused in the murder of Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, and is currently lodged in the Sabarmati prison in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Sidhu Moosewala was shot dead on May 29, 2022 at his home village in Mansa, Punjab.