Six Punjab Police officers to undergo polygraph test in Lawrence Bishnoi interview case

Chandigarh: A Mohali court has permitted the polygraph testing of six Punjab Police officers in connection with the controversial interview of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The officers, including an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) and five constables, were posted at the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) in Mohali when the interview was conducted.

The polygraph tests were sought by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Punjab Police, which is probing the case. The court granted approval after all six officers provided written consent, as required under Supreme Court guidelines.

The controversy dates back to September 2022, when Bishnoi gave two video interviews—one reportedly recorded at the CIA office in Kharar, Mohali, and the other in Rajasthan. The interviews, which were aired by a television channel in March 2023, triggered widespread criticism and raised concerns over internal security lapses within the police force.

The polygraph tests are intended to determine how a journalist, a camera, and interview questions were able to reach Bishnoi while he was in custody. Investigators are focusing on whether there was collusion within the police department. The findings are expected to be key in steering the investigation forward and addressing concerns about the credibility of the Punjab Police.

Earlier this year, on January 2, the Punjab government dismissed Deputy Superintendent of Police Gursher Singh Sandhu for his role in facilitating the interview. Sandhu, who had been under suspension since October 25, 2024, was sacked under Article 311 of the Constitution. The dismissal order was issued by Gurkirat Karpal Singh, Secretary of the Home Department, Government of Punjab.