On March 13, ABP News aired an interview of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi who is currently lodged in Bathinda jail. The Punjab Police authorities have denied the channel’s claims that the interview was shot inside the prison. It is unclear when the interview was recorded. OpIndia could not verify if the interview was recent or recorded while Bishnoi was in Bathinda prison.
In a 57-minute+ interview, Lawrence Bishnoi talked in detail about the Sidhu Mossewala murder case and other cases in which he was allegedly involved. When asked how he could contact the channel from inside the prison, Bishnoi said he used loopholes in the prison system to access the mobile phones.
Bishnoi alleged that he was jailed for his involvement in university scuffles but never had a chance to choose the right path since then. He claimed if given an opportunity, he would choose the way of non-violence, and build a Gaushala.
Punjab Police authorities refute the claim that the interview was recorded inside the Bathinda prison
In an official statement, a Police spokesperson said, “It has come to notice that a private TV news channel has aired an interview of prisoner Lawrence Bishnoi purportedly from inside a jail. Rumours are that the interview was recorded from inside Bathinda Jail. This is to clarify that the rumours are baseless and that this video is not from either Bathinda Jail, where the prisoner is currently confined or from any other jail in Punjab. It is further clarified that this prisoner is at present confined in the high-security zone of Bathinda Jail, where strict surveillance is kept over his activities 24×7. If anyone is caught spreading fake news tarnishing the image of Punjab Prisons administration, action as per law shall be initiated”.
Punjab Anti-Gangsters Task Force (AGTF) Assistant Inspector General Sandeep Goel also denied it was recorded in Punjab jail. He said, “This is not from Bathinda jail or any Punjab jail or Punjab Police custody. Bathinda jail, where he is lodged, is a high-security dead phone zone”.
‘I was not involved in Sidhu Moosewala murder plan’, claims Bishnoi
During the interview, Bishnoi said he was not involved in planning to kill Sidhu Moosewala. His associates Goldy Brar and Sachin hatched the plan. He accepted that a couple of weeks before the murder, he had an argument with Goldy, and the revenge for the murder of their associates was pending, but he was not aware of the plan to kill Moosewala. “I did not have access to a phone at that time. I only learned about the murder after being taken into custody for the same,” he said.
He further claimed Sidhu Moosewala was not a saint as he is being projected by the media nowadays. He said, “Tell me one instance when Sidhu Moosewala spoke against gangsters, drug problems, Pakistan or Khalistan. He was no saint.” He further claimed that Moosewala had good relations with former Punjab CM Channi and others. “He used his contacts to create problems for my associates,” Bishnoi said.
Bishnoi said a lot of people who have been named in Moosewala’s murder case have nothing to do with it. “Everyone is in jail over suspicion. If the accused drank water at someone’s place at some point, he got arrested. No one is being questioned. Everyone is being thrown directly in jail.”
He said though he knows he has done wrong and is being punished for it, he is not anti-national. “I am against Khalistan, Pakistan and anything anti-national. I love my country. If given a chance, I will do something for India.”
When asked about the intentions of Moosewala for his alleged involvement in Mithu Khera’s murder, Bishnoi said, “He might want to become a gangster himself. He might want to live his songs in real life.” Bishnoi added that after the murder of one of his associated Gurlal, he asked Goldy, who was his junior in college, to see what could be done to take revenge.
Speaking about the evidence that Moosewala was involved in the murders of Bishnoi’s associates, he said, “His manager’s involvement was proven in the case. He had brought the shooters with him for reece.” They were allegedly planning to take revenge on Moosewala for over a year. When asked about the funding, Bishnoi said the money was collected as protection money from the liquor smugglers who supply illegal liquor to states like Bihar.
Bishnoi said he made a lot of contacts while in jail. The same goes for his associates, including Goldy and Sachin, who hatched the alleged plan to kill Moosewala. Bishnoi added that they came in contact with Imran Khurja in jail, who later arranged weapons, including AK47 and a grenade for Moosewala’s murder. Khurja was killed in an encounter.
He accused Moosewala’s father of doing politics and said, “Did he speak against any gang other than ours? He is just doing politics. I can assure you he will contest the elections. Many have been named in the case because of his personal enmity.”
Blaming the system for not taking any action in Gurlal and Vicky’s murder, Bishnoi claimed Punjab Police was working under the influence of Moosewala and did not act in matters related to the murders of his associates.
‘Salman Khan should apologise to my community’
Speaking about the grudges against Bollywood actor Salman Khan, Bishnoi said Khan never apologised to his community. If he got a chance, he would take revenge for killing the animal in his community’s area, he hinted. The Bishnoi community does not let anyone kill animals or cut green trees in their region.
He said, “There is anger in our community for Salman Khan. He humiliated my community. A case was filed against him, but he did not apologise. If he does not tender an apology, be ready to face the consequences. I will not depend on anyone else.” He added, “There has been anger in my mind for him since childhood. He will break his ego sooner or later. He should come to our deity’s temple and apologise. If our community forgives, then I will not say anything.”
‘I am just part of the game’
Though he said he would change if given a chance, later during the interview, he said that after spending nine years in jail, he has no intention of becoming a good person. “I am just part of the game. There are a lot of criminals out there. I am facing the consequences for what I did,” he said. Bishnoi said the media is prefixing his name with adjectives like gangster and terrorist. “I was jailed for what happened at the university. It was not such a big deal. However, now the media is using gangsters and even terrorists with my name.”
Lawrence Bishnoi is one of the main accused in the Sidhu Moosewala murder case. Moosewala was killed in May 2022. Gangster Goldy Brar took the responsibility for the murder and claimed he was killed as revenge for the murder of their associates.
Reacting to the interview, Moosewala’s father told Indian Express, “I will not talk about that right now. I have just listened. I will see it again. I will clear everything. I will clear everything on [Sidhu Moosewala’s death] anniversary”.
