A day after Lawrence Bishnoi, the prime accused in Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh alias Sidhu Moosewala’s murder case, appeared in about an hour-long TV interview, Punjab Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua on Wednesday asked the state Director-General of Police (DGP) to conduct a thorough probe into the matter and submit report within two days.

After the private news channel aired jailed gangster Bishnoi’s interview on Tuesday evening, the Punjab Prisons Department came out with an official statement categorically claiming that the video was not from either Bathinda jail or from any other jail in Punjab.

Taking strong note of the development, the Chief Secretary has asked the state police chief to thoroughly investigate that how and where Lawrence Bishnoi has been interviewed.

Currently lodged in Bathinda jail, Lawrence Bishnoi was taken on a production warrant from Bhatinda jail to Jaipur in Rajasthan on February 15 in connection with a firing and extortion case registered. He was brought back to Bhatinda on March 10.

While his location, at the time of interview, could not be ascertained, the denial by the jail departments of both Punjab and Rajasthan has turned the situation puzzling.

Soon after the interview went viral, Punjab prisons department issued a press release late Tuesday evening, “It has come to notice that a private TV news channel has aired an interview of prisoner Lawrence Bishnoi purportedly from inside a jail. Rumours are that the interview was recorded from inside Bathinda Jail. This is to clarify that the rumours are baseless and that this video is not from either Bathinda Jail where the prisoner is currently confined or from any other jail in Punjab. It is further clarified that this prisoner is at present confined in the high-security zone of Bathinda Jail where strict surveillance is kept over his activities 24×7. If anyone is caught spreading fake news maligning the image of Punjab Prisons administration, action as per law shall be initiated.”

Bathinda Jail Superintendent ND Negi also maintained that the video was neither from Bathinda Jail nor any other jail in the state. “Jammers are in place at Bathinda Jail, and phones cannot work here…There’s no possibility of any interview from inside the jail,” he said.

Opposition Demands High-Level Inquiry

Coming down heavily against the AAP Government over the development, the opposition parties have demanded a hig-level probe into Lawrence Bishnoi’s interview.

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal asked the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to resign stating that he did not have any moral authority to remain in his chair as he had failed as Home Minister to such a level that now it seemed that dreaded gangsters like Lawrence Bishnoi were running the State.

“It is clear that the interview was given when the gangster was in Bathinda jail. This only shows that the Aam Aadmi Party government’s writ does not run in jails in Punjab where gangsters are not only using mobile phones freely but openly boasting of killings and extortions. This is a clear case of complete breakdown of law and order in the State. Bhagwant Mann has lost the moral right to continue in office,” he said.

Earlier in a tweet, Sukhbir said: “State facilitating #SidhuMooseWala murder suspect’s interview to divert the attention from their own complicity shows that @BhagwantMann has no moral authority to continue as Chief Minister….CM @BhagwantMann has buckled to gangsters & he is using a dreaded gangster to defame #SidhuMooseWala on pretext of ‘explaining’’ a heinous crime. Is this how he will give justice to Moosewala family? @Akali_Dal_ is with the family. We will force this govt to do justice in case.”

Congress Bholath MLA Sukhpal Khaira tweeted, “I’m shocked & appalled how a gangster like Lawrence Bishnoi can give an interview while in in custody whether in PB jail or elsewhere! This is total breakdown of law in India! I urge @BhagwantMann & @DGPPunjabPolice to clarify their position-Khaira @INCIndia.”

Khaira, in related tweet, said: “The @BhagwantMann govt instead of taking strict actions against gangsters is trying to muzzle voice of media, opposition & people by issuing threats of action for asking questions about the purported in jail interview of Bishnoi. Govt should clarify where was he interviewed taken?”

Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma said that it was a serious issue and raises serious question on the law and order situation in the state. “CM Bhagwant Singh Mann should ensure that a high-level probe should be carried in the whole matter to see how a category A gangster managed to use a mobile phone and internet inside the prison,” he said.

He added that even if the interview was conducted from the other state’s prison, the State Government must take up the matter with its concerned counterparts. The accountability for such gross negligence must be fixed, he added.

BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa also tweeted, “Lawrence Bishnoi’s interview puts a big question mark on the Police Administration in Punjab. Lately, there was News of gang wars happening in Punjab’s Jails. Gangsters are having fun in Punjab’s Jail while #SidhuMoosewala parents are on roads for Justice. Since #LawrenceBishnoi is in Punjab’s Jail right now; @AAPPunjab must answer and clarify on Jail Administration.”

BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh said: “Gangsters have opened undeclared offices in jails. Punjab jails have now become studios to eulogize gangsters. Aam Aadmi Party’s biggest gift to Punjab is gangsters and while no other industry is investing in the state, the AAP government has given industries of extortion and jungle raj to Punjab where daily murder is the order of the day. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should shun political tourism and rather coordinate with Central agencies to get Punjab out of troubled waters.”