Chandigarh: Following the censure of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the case of the interview of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi in the CIA staff office in Kharar, retired Justice Rajiv Ranjan Raina has been appointed as the investigating officer to examine the role of police personnel. The court has ordered the Punjab government to ensure the security of the investigating officer and provide him with the necessary equipment and staff to discharge his duty.
The Advocate General had informed that the investigation report of the SIT led by DGP Prabodh Kumar revealed that the role of some police officers came to light in the custodial interview of Bishnoi, for which the government is going to form a committee. The government had submitted a sealed list of some names as members of the investigation committee, which was returned by the court, entrusting the responsibility to Justice Raina. The court Kumar to file a status report of the investigation during the next hearing.
A bench of Justices Anupinder Singh and Lapita Banerjee appointed senior advocate Rakesh Kumar Nehra as amicus curiae, who has also been ordered to provide the case file.
The High Court gave time till February 15 to the government regarding the security equipment in Punjab jails and has asked the Centre to extend all possible help. ADGP Prisons, Arunpal Singh, has also been asked to appear in the next hearing. Earlier on Monday, the government had decided to dismiss Mohali DSP Gursher Singh, the information of which was given to the court.
During the hearing, Tanu Bedi said the court, under the orders of October 28, 2024, had ordered the DGP to file an affidavit as to why police remand was repeatedly obtained to keep the criminal gangster inside the CIA staff office. The criminal had been staying in the CIA staff office in Kharar for a long time. Bedi also informed the court that during the hearing on December 16, the place of interview of Bishnoi was written as jail, which was corrected and the jail has been changed to Kharar CIA staff office.
The DGP will also have to explain through an affidavit at the next hearing on what basis Bishnoi was kept in Kharar for five months and on what basis he said in the press conference that the interview took place somewhere outside Punjab. The case will be heard on January 16.
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