FOLLOWING PUNJAB POLICE’S INTERVENTION, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING MINISTRY DIRECTS ZEE5 TO NOT RELEASE “LAWRENCE OF PUNJAB”
— DOCUMENTARY’S POTENTIAL GLORIFICATION OF ORGANISED CRIME COULD DISRUPT SOCIAL FABRIC: DGP GAURAV YADAV
— DGP PUNJAB THANKS MoIB FOR PROMPT ACTION IN SAFEGUARDING PEACE AND PUBLIC ORDER
CHANDIGARH, April 24 (WISHAVWARTA);- In a proactive move to ensure responsible content dissemination and maintain the social fabric of the state, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MoIB), Government of India, has issued an advisory to the ZEE5 OTT platform directing them not to release the documentary titled “Lawrence of Punjab”, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Friday.
The development comes on the heels of Special DGP Cyber Crime V Neeraja taking up the matter with the MoIB seeking a restraint on the screening of the content under Section 69A(1) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, citing serious concerns regarding its impact on public order.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that various internal inputs suggested that the documentary—featuring dramatised portrayals, real-life footage, and specific narratives—posed a significant risk of glorifying organised crime and notorious criminals. Such depictions have the potential to mislead the youth and disturb the hard-earned peace of the state, he added.
Acting swiftly on these reports, the Punjab Police approached the MoIB, which serves as the designated nodal agency for OTT content in India.
The DGP said that following a thorough examination of the entire material, the Ministry concurred with the assessment and issued an advisory to the ZEE5 directing them not to release the content on its OTT platform.
“We thank the MoIB, Government of India for its prompt intervention and support in ensuring responsible content dissemination and safeguarding the social fabric of the State,” said DGP Gaurav Yadav.
Reaffirming the Punjab Police’s stance, the DGP stated that the Punjab Police remains committed to maintaining peace, public order, and social harmony at all costs. He further warned that any content attempting to incite criminal activities would be dealt with strictly as per the law.
