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Alleged gangster Lawrence Bishnoi today chose to withdraw his plea before Delhi High Court that he had filed yesterday seeking security in case he is to be produced to the Punjab Police in connection with the recent murder of renowned singer Sidhu Moosewala.

When the matter came up before the court, Bishnoi’s lawyer informed the bench of Justice Swarna Kumar Mishra that he has chosen to withdraw the plea in order to approach Punjab & Haryana High Court with the same prayers.

Bishnoi, is currently in judicial custody and facing trial under Sections 3 & 4 of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act and is lodged in Tihar Jail. Bishnoi has alleged that he is apprehending a fake encounter by the Punjab police due to the political mileage between two political parties owing to the recent murder of the singer.

In his plea before the Delhi High Court, filed through Advocate Vishal Chopra, Bishnoi had stated that on the evening of the murder of Moosewala, the Punjab Police held a press conference where it has been alleged by them that Bishnoi had involvement in Moosewala’s murder.

Besides adequate security, Bishnoi had also sought directions to the authorities to ensure that he is duly handcuffed, shackled and video-graphed if his production is demanded by Punjab police as he apprehends a threat to his life.

Bishnoi had also asked the court to pass directions to the Tihar Jail authorities to give a proper intimation to his counsels before handing him over to any other State police on a production warrant.

The plea stated that the investigation against him is to be truthful and that a fair trial and fair investigation should be done as are envisaged in Articles 20 and 21 of the Constitution of India. Bishnoi's plea states that the purpose of filing the plea is to oppose any prosecuting agency seeking his production in the case pertaining to Moosewala's assassination.

It was further stated in the plea that Bishnoi is entitled to a fair trial and true investigation and that the prosecution is expected to play a balanced role in the trial of a crime. It further notes that the investigation should be judicious, fair, transparent, and expeditious and the investigating authority should ensure the safety of the life of any accused.

The plea further read that Bishnoi is a victim of certain happenings and circumstances and is in no way a criminal much less a hardened criminal as is wrongly being projected by various Investigating Agencies/Authorities, besides, also the media.

Furthermore, it was also noted in the plea that in view of him being continually and unrelentingly implicated falsely in various FIRs, a situation has arisen such that there is now a threat to Bishnoi's life, liberty, and well-being from the police and the investigating agencies.

Case title: Lawrence Bishnoi Vs State of NCT Delhi