Punjab govt seeks ban on Lawrence Bishnoi series, says it 'glorifies crime'
The letter, written by the Special Director General of Police, Cyber Crime, to the Joint Director in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, C Senthil Rajan, states that they have learned that the series scheduled for release depicts the life and criminal trajectory of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi
Four days before the release of “Lawrence of Punjab” on the ZEE5 OTT platform, the Punjab government has written a letter to the Centre, asking them to ban the release of this series as it glorifies organised crime and criminal elements.
The letter, written by the Special Director General of Police, Cyber Crime, to the Joint Director in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, C Senthil Rajan, states that they have learned that the series scheduled for release depicts the life and criminal trajectory of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The state has requested blocking of public access to the “unlawful” content under section 69A (1) of the Information Technology Act.
“The series contains references to serious criminal incidents, including the murder of singer Sidhu Moosewala and other firing incidents linked to prominent personalities. The content contains dramatised portrayals, real-life footage, and narrative elements which lead to the glorification of organised crime and criminal elements,” the Special DGP has stated in the letter. It is further stated that the documentary has attracted strong objections from various sections of society.
“There is apprehension that the documentary has the potential to attract widespread public attention… negatively influence youth by normalising or romanticising organised crime, undermining law enforcement efforts against gangsterism, and disrupt public order, thereby vitiating the law and order situation in the state,” it says, while referring to the Punjab and Haryana High Court orders in cases related to the interviews of the gangster while he was in custody.
“The Hon’ble Court has observed that such content tends to promote criminal activities and may adversely impact ongoing trials as well as influence witnesses,” it says. It may be mentioned that Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has already filed a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking a ban on the release of this docu-series.
The latter is expected to come up for hearing on Friday.
