7 Punjab Police Officers Suspended Over Lawrence Bishnoi's 2022 Jail Interview

The Punjab government has suspended seven police officers following an investigation into a 2022 interview conducted with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi while he was in custody. The suspensions stem from findings of carelessness and gross negligence related to the interview's circumstances.

Among those suspended are two deputy superintendents, Gursher Singh and Sammer Vaneet. The state home secretary, Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, issued the suspension orders on Friday. Additional officers who were also suspended include sub-inspector Reena from the Kharar CIA, sub-inspector Jagatpal Jangu from the Anti-Gangster Task Force, sub-inspector Shaganjit Singh, who was the duty officer at the time, and head constable Om Parkash.

A Special Investigation Team, following directions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, discovered that Bishnoi's interview was held via video conference while he was incarcerated at Kharar CIA in September 2022. Initially, evidence suggested the interview took place in Jaipur Central Jail, but it was later confirmed that it occurred in Punjab.