Lawrence Bishnoi jail interview controversy: Supreme Court rejects former DSP Gursher Singh Sandhu plea

The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed by sacked Punjab DSP Gursher Singh Sandhu challenging the Section 41A CrPC
notices issued against him, in connection with the interview of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi conducted inside a Punjab jail.

The order was passed on Tuesday by the Bench of Justice KV Viswanathan and Justice N Kotiswar Singh on the grounds that a similar petition filed by Sandhu before the Punjab and Haryana High Court was listed for hearing on July 3.

During the hearing, the Apex Court raised questions regarding the media access to the prison to hold the interview of a jailed gangster.

Senior Advocate Vikram Chaudhri, representing Sandhu, sought permission to withdraw the plea, after which the top court of the country dismissed the petition and asked the petitioner to appear before the High Court.

Sandhu had filed a petition before the High Court seeking inter-alia quashing of Section 41A CrPC notices issued to him and direction for no further coercive action.

On June 4, the High Court directed the Punjab jail authorities to provide evidence supporting Sandhu’s transposition as an accused in the FIR lodged over Bishnoi’s interview from Kharar’s CIA facility, in a sealed cover.