The Punjab Police have formally written to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), requesting that public access to an upcoming docuseries titled “Lawrence of Punjab” be blocked. The series is scheduled to release on the OTT platform ZEE5 on April 27.
In an official communication, Special Director General of Police (Cyber Crime) V. Neeraja, IPS, raised serious concerns about the documentary’s content. According to the police, the series traces the life and criminal journey of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
It reportedly includes dramatised scenes and references to several high-profile crimes, including the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala and other violent incidents.
The police stated in the letter that the documentary could end up glorifying organised crime. Authorities fear that such portrayal may influence young viewers by normalising or romanticising criminal behaviour. They also warned that the content could weaken ongoing law enforcement efforts and potentially disturb public order in Punjab.
The request has been made under Section 69A(1) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, along with provisions of the IT (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009. Punjab Police have urged the ministry to issue directions to ZEE5 to stop streaming the documentary and remove access to its trailer globally.
The communication also refers to earlier observations made by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The court had taken suo motu cognisance of interviews of Lawrence Bishnoi reportedly recorded inside jail premises. It had observed that such content could encourage criminal activity and affect ongoing trials, and had directed authorities to remove similar material from digital platforms.
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