Punjab Police Secures MoIB Advisory Blocking ZEE5’s ‘Lawrence Of Punjab’ Documentary Over Public Order Fears

Chandigarh: 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.

Action under IT Act Section 69A(1)

He said that 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.

Stating 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, DGP Yadav held that such depictions have the potential to mislead the youth and disturb the hard-earned peace of the state.

Punjab Police moved nodal agency swiftly

Acting swiftly on these reports, the Punjab police approached the MoIB, which serves as the designated nodal agency for OTT content in India, he added.

The DGP further held 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.