DSP sacked over Lawrence Bishnoi's interview from Punjab jail

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government on Thursday dismissed deputy superintendent of police Gursher Singh Sandhu from service in connection with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s interview from the premises of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) at Kharar in Sept 2022.
The dismissal orders for Sandhu were issued following the concurrence by the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) with the state govt’s decision last month, where it cleared the file to dismiss the officer.
The order by the Punjab govt, signed by home secretary Gurkirat Kirpal Singh on Thursday, noted that the state govt was “satisfied that Gursher Singh Sandhu, PPS (under suspension), severely dented the image of the Punjab Police as a result of his misconduct, negligence, and dereliction of duty during the occurrence of the interview of Lawrence Bishnoi, while in custody of CIA Kharar.”
“His failure to perform his duty properly is a gross violation of the discipline and conduct rules of the Punjab Police,” it added.
The Punjab government told the Punjab and Haryana high court on Dec 16 last year that it had cleared the file for Sandhu’s dismissal. The file was then sent to the PPSC for concurrence, as part of the laid-down procedure.
The dismissal order on Thursday noted that the PPSC concurred with the proposal of the state govt on Dec 26 and granted approval to dismiss Sandhu from govt service under Article 311(2)(b) of the Constitution.
The order pointed out that the proviso in question under the Article implemented in the present case as it was “not reasonably practicable” to hold an inquiry into the chargesheet issued to Gursher Singh Sandhu in view of the “non-cooperative attitude of the officer.”
Referring to the inquiry by a special investigation team (SIT) constituted by the high court, the order said that Sandhu, who was under suspension since Oct 25, “facilitated the recording of an interview of Lawrence Bishnoi by a TV channel, while he was in the custody of CIA, Kharar.”
The dismissal order noted that the Punjab DGP apprised that Sandhu “evaded all attempts to receive the chargesheet,” which had to be “affixed at the doorstep of his residence as a means of ensuring formal service in compliance with procedural requirements.”
Two back-to-back TV interviews of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi were telecast by a channel in March 2023. The SIT headed by special DGP (Punjab State Human Rights Commission) Prabodh Kumar pointed out that while one interview was conducted when Bishnoi was in CIA, Kharar, the second interview was conducted in Rajasthan.
Consequent to the SIT findings, seven police officials, including Sandhu, were suspended by the Punjab government. The Punjab vigilance bureau is also conducting a disproportionate assets probe against Sandhu.