ARTICLE
The Punjab and Haryana High Court Wednesday stayed the further proceedings before the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMIC) at Mohali pertaining to the cancellation report filed by the Special Investigation Team in the interview case of Lawrence Bishnoi . A division bench of Justices Anupinder Singh Grewal and Lapita Banerji, which is hearing the suo motu matter related to the two TV interviews of Bishnoi aired on a private news channel in March 2023, was notified that a cancellation report has been filed before the JMIC, Mohali. The bench observed that it had appointed Prabodh Kumar, Special Director General of Police, Punjab State Human Rights Commission, as head of the SIT to conduct an investigation in FIR No.1, dated January 5, 2024, registered at Police Station State Crime, Punjab, Mohali. “The SIT had filed several status reports before this court on July 10, 2024, August 7, 2024, September 6, 2024, September 12, 2024 and October 15, 2024. The Head of the SIT had sought 3 months’ time to complete the investigation on July 10, 2024. The matter had come up for hearing on October 15, 2024 when the head of the SIT had filed an affidavit. In the affidavit, a self-contained note indicating the misconduct, negligence and dereliction of duty by the concerned officers had also been appended,” noted the Bench. However, on finding that cancellation report has also been filed before the Mohali court on October 9, 2024, the bench observed, “It is perplexing to note that the said report was not furnished to this court on October 15, 2024 when the matter had come up for hearing. The counsel for the state of Punjab has not been able to provide any satisfactory explanation with regard to the tearing hurry in filing cancellation report before JMIC, Mohali.” On the state counsel praying for time to seek necessary instructions on the issue, the bench directed the SIT head to “file a copy of the investigation report before this court forthwith”. A copy of the same be also furnished to the Additional Solicitor General of India, amicus curiae and counsel for the states of Punjab and Haryana, directed the HC. Ordering to list the matter on October 28, the bench said, “In the meantime, we direct that further proceedings before the JMIC, Mohali be stayed.” None
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