Punjab police to move HC to cancel Moosewala bail plea

The Punjab police is set to move the Punjab and Haryana High Court for cancellation of the anticipatory bail granted in an Arms Act case to controversial singer Sidhu Moosewala, against whom the Crime Branch booked another case on charges of promoting violence and gun culture with his latest song "Sanju", released on social media a couple of days ago.

According to a press release from the Punjab police giving details of the case, Punjab ADGP and Director Punjab Bureau of Investigations, Arpit Shukla, said the singer has been booked at Mohali on the basis of information received that his song "Sanju", which is trending on various social media platforms, blatantly glorifies use of weapons and boasts about the various FIRs, including the one under the Arms Act, registered against him.

The ADGP said the police would be soon filing a petition for the cancellation of the anticipatory bail granted to Moosewala by the High Court.

Shukla said it had been verified that the latest video-song, "Sanju", was uploaded from Moosewala's official YouTube channel. In the song, Moosewala makes explicit references to the case registered against him under the Arms Act, and the video starts with a news clip of him being booked in the said case by the Punjab police for unauthorised use of an AK-47 Rifle.

"In the video, Moosewala's news clip is later merged with news reports of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt having been convicted and sentenced for similar offences. Shukla said the lyrics of the song, as well as the video, promote and glorify possession and use of illegal firearms, and boast about registration of FIR as a sign of a 'real man'," the press release said.

"Shukla said the lyrics of the song...not only promote use of illegal firearms but also undermine the judiciary, the police and the advocates," the press release said.

Shukla said Moosewala had been earlier booked for a similar offence on February 1 this year by the Mansa Police. On May 4, he was booked by the Barnala police for various offences under the Disaster Management and Arms Act after his photographs of firing an AK-47 rifle at a firing range during the curfew went viral on social media.

His latest act is intended to not only ridicule, mock and undermine the police and the judiciary but also shows that the singer is incorrigible and has repeatedly committed such offences, said Shukla.

The ADGP said that the Punjab and Haryana High Court had already directed the Director General of Police of Punjab, Haryana and Union Territory Chandigarh to ensure that no songs glorifying liquor, drugs and violence are played even at live shows.

Even Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has expressed concern over the propagation of violence and gun culture in Punjabi songs and has given directions to the state police not to show any relaxation or concession towards such singers, who allure innocent youth into following the path of violence and hooligsm.

Shukla said it seems that with his latest song, which he seems to wear as some sort of a badge of honour, Moosewala deliberately wants to incite and mislead the youth of this border state, which has borne the brunt of terrorism in the 80s and 90s, by glorifying the use of AK-47 rifles and other weapons.

He said Moosewala has been booked under sections 188, 294, 504, 120-B IPC at PS State Crime Punjab, Phase 4 Mohali.

( With inputs from ANI )