Security concern: Jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi withdraws plea from Delhi HC
Darpan News Desk IANS, 01 Jun, 2022 11:49 AM
New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) Jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, named as a suspect in the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, on Wednesday withdrew from Delhi High Court his plea seeking protection amid apprehension of "fake encounter" by Punjab police for "political mileage".
The matter came up for hearing before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma.
As the hearing began, Bishnoi's counsel Adv. Vishal Chopra sought liberty for withdrawal of the plea.
On the other hand, Advocate Sanjay Lao appearing for the Delhi Police, stated that the plea was not maintainable anyway.
Accordingly, the petition has been withdrawn.
Now, Bishnoi will approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court with the plea.
The gangster had moved the high court after a NIA court of Patiala House Court junked his plea on Monday. In the plea, he sought a direction to the Delhi Police and the Tihar Jail authorities to ensure all necessary security arrangements for him.
The petitioner sought the court's direction to Central Jail Authorities to give prior intimation to his counsels before his custody is given to any other state police on any production warrant. He should be duly handcuffed, shackled and video-graphed during the production warrant and on transit remand if any warrant is produced by the Punjab police for the safety of his life, the plea stated.
The Punjab police has alleged that Bishnoi was involved in the murder of Sidhu Moosewala.
The accused is entitled to a fair and true investigation and a fair trial and the prosecution is expected to play a balanced role in the trial of a crime. The investigation should be judicious, fair, transparent and expeditious and the investigating authority should ensure the safety of any accused person, his plea said.
"Fair trial includes fair investigation as envisaged by Articles 20 and 21 of the Constitution of India. The role of the police is to be for the protection of life, liberty and property of citizens, that investigation of offences being one of its foremost duties. That the aim of the investigation is ultimately to search for truth and to bring the offender to book," the plea read.
Currently lodged in Tihar jail in a MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) case, Bishnoi is allegedly involved in more than five dozen criminal cases lodged against him in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab. He had once threatened to kill Bollywood actor Salman Khan.
As per reports, Goldy Brar, a Canada-based gangster and Lawrence Bishnoi have claimed responsibility for the murder of Moosewala. Singer-turned-actor-politician Sidhu Moosewala, 29, was shot dead by gangsters close to his ancestral village in Mansa in Punjab in broad daylight on Sunday.
The killing of the rapper has sparked a huge political controversy and the Punjab Government is at the receiving end.
According to the police, acting on a tip-off, a joint team of Sector-40 and cybercrime police stations raided a call centre running in South City Phase-1 and arrested 11 persons, who used to allegedly cheat residents of the US and Canada.
Guru Tegh Bahadur, also known as Hind Di Chadar, stands as a shining symbol of the country's great pluralistic tradition and secularism, and his supreme sacrifice forms an important part of India's history. According to the Chief Minister, Haryana shares a special bond not only with Guru Tegh Bahadur but all 10 Sikh gurus as most of them travelled across the state.
The delegation has demanded that the police should avoid unilateral action and arrest the culprits as soon as possible, and take stern action against whoever is guilty without any discrimination.
Seven others were injured in the mishap, who have shifted to the BDK Hospital in Jhunjhunu. As per the locals, around 18 members of a family had gone to immerse the ashes of an elderly family member who passed away recently when their vehicle overturned.
Superintendent of Police, Rae Bareli, Shlok Kumar said that the main accused in the case is a minor and has been sent to a juvenile home, while six others, identified as Abhishek, Vikas Pasi, Mahendra Kumar, Hrithik Singh, Aman Singh and Yash Pratap are majors and they have been arrested.
Denying bail to the jeweller Dev Varma (40), Chief metropolitan magistrate Pankaj Sharma said in the Monday's order that some of the expensive jewellery in connection with the crime was yet to be recovered and pointed out the Delhi Police's stand in the matter.
