Criminals continue to find ways to flout the law, even when they are confined behind bars. The recent case of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi is a prime example. Despite being lodged in the central jail in Bathinda, Bishnoi managed to give an interview to an electronic channel via mobile. While the channel telecast the interview as ‘live’, it is uncertain when it was actually conducted.
Bishnoi has a long history of being in contact with members of his gang from inside various jails. In this most recent interview, he claimed that he was not involved in the murder of Punjabi singer and Congress leader Shubhdeep Singh alias Sidhu Moose Wala on May 29 last year. Instead, he pointed a finger at Canada-based Goldie Brar.
However, Bishnoi did admit to having knowledge of the murder plan as he had told Brar that Moose Wala was their enemy. Bishnoi also disclosed that the weapons used in the murder were procured from Uttar Pradesh. It is worth noting that Bishnoi is involved in over 40 cases of murder, extortion, contract killing and robbery in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Rajasthan and Delhi.
Despite the severity of his crimes, the Punjab prison administration denies that Bishnoi conducted the interview while imprisoned in Bathinda. The administration has installed jammers in the high security zone, making communication impossible. The administration has also warned against spreading false news that maligns its image.
This situation highlights the issue of mobile phones making their way into jails in Punjab. It is not the first time that gangsters have gotten ahold of phones to facilitate criminal activities. Members of Bishnoi’s gang even recorded a video of a violent clash in a Punjab jail, where two gangsters were murdered. The video was circulated among other inmates and ultimately led to the broadcasting of the brutal crime on social media.
The Punjab prison administration needs to take more stringent measures to stop inmates from having access to mobile phones. Failure to do so only contributes to their ability to carry out crimes even while in custody.
