New Delhi: Lawrence of Punjab, the upcoming ZEE5 docu-series, has faced a shadow ban after the Central government directed the streaming platform not to release it. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has asked ZEE5 to withhold the documentary based on the rise of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, as per a report by ANI. The series, which was scheduled to release on April 27, ran into trouble following concerns raised by the Punjab Police that it could “pose a risk to public order”.
Reportedly, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking a ban on the documentary’s release. He expressed concern that the glorification of gangster culture in the series could send a negative message to the state’s youth. The petition was disposed of after the Centre’s advisory to ZEE5 addressed the grievance, Warring’s lawyer informed the court. Additional Solicitor General of India Satya Pal Jain and advocate Dheeraj Jain, representing the Centre, submitted a copy of the I&B ministry’s communication before the Bench on Friday.
Central government’s communication to ZEE5
“I am directed to refer to CWP-PIL-107-2026 Amrinder Singh Raja Warring vs Union of India and others filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and to invite attention to the advisory dated October 27, 2025, issued by this Ministry,” read the I&B communication.
“The Punjab Police has informed that, given the sensitivity of gangster-related issues in Punjab and the potential for such content to evoke strong public reactions, the release of the series is likely to lead to heightened tensions and adverse law and order implications,” it added.
The order further stated, “The documentary has the potential to negatively influence youth by normalising or romanticising organised crime, undermine ongoing law enforcement efforts against gangsterism, and disturb public order, thereby vitiating the law and order situation in the state.”
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has asked ZEE5 to “take note and take appropriate action in the matter.”
Details of Lawrence of Punjab
Lawrence of Punjab traces the rise of Lawrence Bishnoi, who is known for allegedly plotting attacks on Bollywood actor Salman Khan over the alleged 1990s blackbuck poaching case.
The makers had earlier said the show “traces the journey of a criminal identity through the lens of culture, systems, and visibility” and presents Bishnoi as a case study within the ecosystem of ideology, student politics, and music.