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The Mumbai Police's attempts to secure the custody of Lawrence Bishnoi, a notorious gangster currently incarcerated in the Sabarmati jail in Gujarat, have been thwarted by a Home Ministry order. This order, issued under Section 268 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), prohibits any state or agency from seeking Bishnoi's custody for a year. This provision grants the government the power to restrict prisoner movements when doing so is deemed necessary for maintaining law and order.
Bishnoi's transfer to Sabarmati jail from Delhi's Tihar in August 2023 was related to a drug smuggling case. The Home Ministry's order, initially slated to be in effect until August 2024, has been extended for another year, effectively blocking any attempts by the Mumbai Police to bring Bishnoi before them. This decision has been met with frustration by the police force, as they are unable to investigate the involvement of Bishnoi in several high-profile cases.
One such case is the firing incident outside actor Salman Khan's house in April. Bishnoi's gang claimed responsibility for this attack, citing Salman Khan's alleged involvement in a blackbuck poaching case in 1998, which angered the Bishnoi community that considers blackbucks sacred. Bishnoi's gang has also been implicated in the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022, and more recently, the killing of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique.
The Mumbai Police had filed multiple applications to obtain Bishnoi's custody after the April firing, but their efforts have been unsuccessful due to the Home Ministry's order. This raises questions about the effectiveness of the police in combating organized crime and their ability to access critical evidence for ongoing investigations. The extended order further strengthens the impression that Bishnoi is being protected from prosecution and raises concerns about the political motivations behind this decision.
Source: This Order Is Stopping Mumbai Police From Taking Lawrence Bishnoi's Custody