Amit Shah’s Order Restricts Mumbai Police from Interrogating Lawrence Bishnoi

The name of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi has resurfaced following a series of attacks linked to Bollywood stars Salman Khan and Tiger Shroff. His gang has been linked to at least four major criminal incidents in Mumbai over the past three years. Despite his alleged involvement in multiple cases, however, Mumbai Police have been unable to take Bishnoi into their custody for direct questioning because of a special order issued by India’s Union Home Ministry.

Bishnoi is currently lodged in Gujarat’s Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad. In August 2023, the Home Ministry, led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, issued an order under Section 268 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The order prevents other investigating agencies from taking him out of prison for interrogation. The restriction has subsequently been extended several times under the new legal framework.

As a result, even when courts issue regular production warrants, investigators cannot take Bishnoi out of jail for questioning. However, agencies may interrogate him through video conferencing or inside the prison, subject to court directions. The central government has argued that the measure is necessary to prevent possible violence during his transfer and maintain public order.

The shooting outside Salman Khan’s residence heightened Mumbai Police’s concerns about Bishnoi. In April 2024, his gang was allegedly linked to gunfire outside the actor’s Galaxy Apartments in Bandra. More recently, on October 18, members of the gang were named in connection with a shooting targeting actor Tiger Shroff. The gang has claimed that certain celebrities were targeted because of their close association with Salman Khan.

The longstanding hostility between Salman Khan and Bishnoi has been linked to an earlier dispute over the blackbuck poaching case. The gang has also been accused of threatening members of the actor’s family.

Although Bishnoi’s gang has been linked to several incidents, legal restrictions on directly questioning him remain a significant obstacle to Mumbai Police investigations.

Based on reports by Prothom Alo, NDTV and other relevant news outlets.