New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday closed the proceedings of a petition filed by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi against the release of ‘Lawrence Punjab’ on ZEE5, observing that nothing remains in the matter in view of the Centre’s advice to the OTT platform against the release of docuseries.
Justice Puruchindra Kumar Kaurav observed that unless the advisories issued by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting are set aside, filmmakers may not be in a position to publish docuseries.
Even as the petitioner’s counsel predicted that the docuseries would be released in some other way, such as changing the names of the characters, Justice Kaurav said the petitioner could take appropriate legal action at that stage.
The court told the petitioner’s counsel orally: “When they do something, you can always come back. Today unless the warnings are put aside, they will not be able to be released.”
The senior lawyer representing the OTT platform said that they were challenging the Centre’s three warnings, issued on April 23 and 24, before the relevant court. He also said that the current petition is not maintainable before the court because it lacks territorial jurisdiction over the issue.
“We are in the process of challenging the advisories issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court as they are based on inputs from Punjab Police,” the senior lawyer said.
The senior advocate added that in view of the Centre’s move, the present petition was futile.
“The Court is of the opinion that the ground raised in the writ petition has become frivolous. In view of the warnings, this Court is of the opinion that the respondent may not be publishing the content of ‘Lawrence Punjab’. Liberty is granted to the petitioner to intervene or take any other appropriate step in the process of challenging the said warnings at the request of the respondent. The Court ordered that all disputes be left open, and the petition was disposed of.”
According to the makers, the show “traces the journey of criminal identity through the lens of culture, systems and vision” and treats Bishnoi as a case study in the ecosystem of student politics, music, ideology and media hype.
Bishnoi, 33, who is currently imprisoned in a Gujarat prison, faces several criminal cases. He is one of the main accused in the murder of singer Sidhu Musiwala.
Earlier, Punjab Police had written to the Center and urged it to direct ZEE5 to refrain from airing docuseries on Bishnoi, saying it poses a serious threat to public order.
In a letter to the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Punjab Police Cyber Crime Division also pointed out that the availability of such content increases the risk of youth being influenced and drawn towards criminal or gang-related activities.
In a letter dated April 24 to Zee5, the Center advised it not to release Lawrence Punjab.
She added that OTT platforms have been advised to exercise caution and discretion before publishing or transmitting any film or web series, including biographies and documentaries on gangsters and criminals, which is likely to incite violence or disturb the maintenance of public order.
She noted that the Punjab Police said that the content contains dramatic images, real-life footage, and narrative elements that lead to the glorification and exaggeration of organized crime and criminal elements.
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