The Punjab and Haryana High Court has overturned the Punjab government's decision to dismiss DSP Gursharan Singh Sandhu in connection with the Lawrence Bishnoi interview controversy, citing lack of departmental inquiry.

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  • Punjab and Haryana HC quashed the dismissal of DSP Gursharan Singh Sandhu.
  • The Court directed the state government to reinstate the officer immediately.
  • The ruling emphasized that dismissal without a departmental inquiry violates Article 311.
  • The case stems from allegations involving a controversial Lawrence Bishnoi interview.

In a landmark judgment, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has set aside the dismissal of Punjab Police DSP Gursharan Singh Sandhu. The court has directed the state government to reinstate him to his service. The controversy traces back to the dismissal of Sandhu in early 2025 following allegations related to a controversial interview involving gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.

The crux of the matter lies in March 2023, when two interviews of Lawrence Bishnoi were broadcast on a private news channel. The interviews alleged that Sandhu had facilitated the interviews while Bishnoi was in police custody. Consequently, the Punjab government invoked Article 311 to dismiss Sandhu on January 2, 2025, without conducting a formal departmental inquiry.

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Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that this verdict serves as a critical check on executive overreach. It reinforces the principle that even in high-profile criminal cases involving organized crime, the constitutional rights of civil servants to a fair trial and due process cannot be bypassed for administrative expediency.

The dismissal order fails to meet constitutional standards as it bypassed the mandatory requirement of a departmental inquiry.

A single bench presided over by Justice Namit Kumar ruled on Sandhu's petition, noting that the government's decision to halt the inquiry on the grounds of non-cooperation by the petitioner was legally flawed. The court observed that even if an employee is uncooperative, the state cannot use Article 311(2)(b) to summarily dismiss them without following the prescribed legal procedure.

Sandhu had vehemently denied the allegations in court, stating he had no role in Bishnoi's transfer to Punjab or his custody at the Mohali CIA staff premises. He maintained that he was not the investigating officer in the matter. The court noted that while Sandhu must be reinstated, the government retains the right to continue any pending departmental inquiries against him as per the rules.

Did You Know?: Article 311 of the Indian Constitution provides constitutional safeguards to civil servants against arbitrary dismissal or reduction in rank.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why was DSP Sandhu dismissed initially?
He was dismissed following allegations that he assisted Lawrence Bishnoi during a controversial interview while in custody.

2. What was the High Court's main observation?
The court observed that the dismissal was unconstitutional because no proper departmental inquiry was conducted before the termination.