Centre bans ‘Lawrence of Punjab’ OTT series ahead of release

The case came before the court after Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring filed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a stay on the series’ release.

Post Published By: Sujata Biswal

Updated : 24 April 2026, 1:45 PM IST

Centre bans OTT Series ‘Lawrence of Punjab’

Chandigarh: In a major development, the Central Government has ordered a ban on the upcoming web series “Lawrence of Punjab”, which was scheduled to release later this month on the OTT platform ZEE5. The decision was conveyed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to the Punjab and Haryana High Court during a hearing on Friday.

The case came before the court after Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring filed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a stay on the series’ release. The petition raised concerns over the portrayal of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and the possible adverse impact such content could have on society.

During the hearing, the Centre informed the court that it had already issued an order banning the series. Prior to this, the Punjab Police had also formally requested the Centre to halt its release. In its communication, the Special Director General of Police (Cyber Crime) highlighted serious objections to the content, stating that the series depicts the life of Bishnoi, including references to criminal incidents such as the killing of singer Sidhu Moosewala, and traces his alleged rise from student politics to organised crime.

Officials warned that the portrayal could glorify criminal activity and potentially influence impressionable audiences, especially young viewers, while also risking social unrest.

The series was originally slated to premiere on April 27, but its release has now been indefinitely stalled following the Centre’s intervention.