Indian Government Advises ZEE5 to Stop Release of Documentary on Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, Citing Public Order Concerns
Introduction
The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has officially advised the streaming platform ZEE5 not to release its documentary series ''Lawrence of Punjab'', which explores the life of alleged gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The advisory, issued on April 24, 2026, came after a legal case filed by Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and concerns raised by Punjab Police about possible disturbances to public order and the glorification of crime.
Main Body
The advisory, sent to ZEE5 in connection with a case before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, referred to an earlier directive from October 27, 2025, and a later letter dated April 23, 2026. The Ministry stated that there was a ''reasonable fear'' that releasing the series could be harmful to public order and might encourage the commission of serious crimes. The document was presented to the High Court bench by Additional Solicitor General Satya Pal Jain and advocate Dheeraj Jain during a hearing on April 25. Punjab Police had previously urged the central government to block the series, arguing that its dramatised scenes and real-life footage could increase the image of organised crime, negatively influence young viewers, and weaken ongoing law enforcement efforts. The police submission noted that the content risked ''damaging the law and order situation'' in a state already sensitive to gangster-related issues. Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who filed the legal case, contended that the series glamorises the life and criminal activities of Lawrence Bishnoi, showing his rise from a student leader to the head of a criminal group. He argued that such a portrayal could create an attractive image of criminal behaviour among impressionable young people. After the central government''s advisory, Warring''s lawyer said the case was resolved because the concern had been addressed. Warring later described the legal challenge as a defence of Punjab''s identity, insisting that the state is not defined by gangster culture. ZEE5, represented by Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar, informed the Delhi High Court on April 25 that it would fight the advisory. Nayar indicated that the platform would seek legal action against the directive, which effectively stopped the planned April 27 premiere. The platform has maintained that the documentary follows Bishnoi''s path from student politics to the creation of a criminal network, treating him as a case study in the system of student politics, music, ideology, and media spread. Separately, Lawrence Bishnoi himself filed a request to stop the documentary, claiming it affects his rights. However, his lawyer was absent during the hearing, and the Delhi High Court postponed the matter to April 27. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had also been considering Warring''s petition, which sought an urgent delay of the series'' release.
Conclusion
The central government''s advisory has temporarily stopped the release of ''Lawrence of Punjab'', and ZEE5 has said it will challenge the directive in court. The matter is still being considered by both the Delhi High Court and the Punjab and Haryana High Court, showing a multi-jurisdictional dispute over the balance between freedom of content and public order.