Central government has halted release of documentary on Lawrence Bishnoi: Zee5 tells Delhi High Court

Streaming platform Zee5 told the Delhi High Court on Friday that the Central government has advised it not to release its documentary Lawrence of Punjab, which focuses on the rise of alleged gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.

Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar appeared for Zee5 and made the statement before Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav when he took up the case filed by Bishnoi against the documentary's release.

Nayar said that Zee may challenge the advisory.

"MIB [Ministry of Information and Broadcasting] has issued an advisory advising us not to go with the release... MIB has issued an advisory at 12 o'clock, so we will have to challenge that," he said.

After noting that Bishnoi's lawyer was not present for the hearing, Justice Kaurav adjourned the case to April 27.

The MIB issued the advisory after Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring moved a petition before the Punjab and Haryana High Court challenging the release of the documentary. The advisory stated that the Punjab Police has raised apprehension that the release of the show would be prejudicial to public order. 

After noting this, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today disposed of the plea.

According to Zee5, the show focuses on the power of Lawrence Bishnoi which is "feared and felt from the shadows". It traces how Bishnoi, a student-politician, built a gang-empire out of Punjab.