This revelation emerged during a suo motu hearing regarding the use of mobile phones by inmates within jail premises.
A Bench comprising Justices Anupinder Singh Grewal and Lapita Banerji expressed alarm over the police’s actions, stating, “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.”
They noted that the involvement of police officers could suggest illegal payments from Bishnoi or his associates, constituting offenses under the Prevention of Corruption Act. As a result, the court mandated further investigation into the matter.
The court’s remarks followed a Special Investigation Team’s (SIT) decision to file a cancellation report related to Bishnoi’s interview, which aired in March 2023. Bishnoi, a suspect in the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, claimed during the interview with ABP News that he was aware of the murder plot.
The court detailed that the interview was conducted at the CIA Staff Kharar police station in the presence of senior Punjab Police officers, utilising the police station’s facilities and official Wi-Fi.
“The office of the Officer Incharge of the Police Station was used as a studio to conduct the interview,” the Bench stated, calling this a sign of a potential criminal conspiracy. It also highlighted concerns that official records may have been manipulated to cover up the incident.
Prabodh Kumar, Special DGP of the Punjab State Human Rights Commission, informed the court that the SIT lacked the authority to investigate other offenses, including those under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
However, the court disagreed and ordered the formation of a new SIT, led by Kumar and including ADGPs Nageshwar Rao and Nilabh Kishore, to thoroughly investigate various charges, including criminal conspiracy, abetment, forgery, and violations of the Information Technology Act. The new SIT has been tasked with filing a status report within six weeks.
“We direct that a new SIT headed by Mr. Prabodh Kumar and also comprising of Mr. Nageshwar Rao, ADGP, Provisioning and Mr.Nilabh Kishore, ADGP, STF to carry out further investigation towards criminal conspiracy, abetment, forgery, offences under Prevention of Corruption Act, Information Technology Act and also under any other offence. The SIT shall file a status report within a period of 6 weeks.”
The court was also informed that seven Punjab police officers, including two gazetted officers, have been suspended, with departmental proceedings initiated against eight officers in total. Furthermore, Inspector Shiv Kumar, the officer-in-charge of the CIA Kharar station, has been dismissed after being granted an extension in service.
During the proceedings, the court emphasised that action should be taken against senior officers involved in facilitating the interview and insisted that lower-level officers should not be made scapegoats.
The Bench noted, “No action appears to have been taken against the senior officers of the District,” and requested an affidavit from the competent authority regarding the prolonged detention of Bishnoi at the CIA Staff Kharar.
In response to the official’s failure to address the court’s concerns, the DGP was ordered to file an affidavit clarifying discrepancies in statements made regarding the location of the interview. The court criticised the fact that the interview occurred at the police station, suggesting complicity among police personnel.
The court also mandated that any resurfaced footage of the interview on the internet be removed immediately.