Amit Shah’s Home Ministry locked down Sabarmati Jail on 15 August 2023, issuing a Section 268 order that forbids Mumbai Police from taking Lawrence Bishnoi out of custody for interrogation.
The order, later reinforced under Section 303 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, cites the risk of violence if Bishnoi is transported. It also blocks the issuance of standard production warrants, forcing Mumbai Police to rely on video links or on‑site questioning.
Bishnoi, a 45‑year‑old gangster whose network has been linked to four major Mumbai murders in the past three years, remains in Sabarmati Jail since 2023. His gang was behind the 18 October 2024 gun attack on actor Tiger Shroff’s car in Juhu and the 17 October 2024 killing of NCP leader Baba Siddique in Bandra.
The protective measure echoes the 2015 case of underworld don Chhota Rajan, who was similarly shielded after being deported from Indonesia and placed in Delhi’s Tihar Jail. Rajan’s brother, Anmol, also enjoys the same protection after an American deportation the previous year.
Political backlash has surged. Maharashtra Congress leader Harshwardhan Sapkal demanded that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis pull the BNSS protection, while the BJP‑Shiv Sena‑NCP coalition pledged to pursue all suspects linked to Bishnoi’s gang.
Mumbai Police now must wait for a court to grant a video‑link interrogation or to allow in‑jail questioning. The next procedural step will be a hearing in the Bombay High Court, where the police seek a warrant to compel Bishnoi’s cooperation.