Punjabi singer Moosewala booked for promoting violence, gun culture in new song 'Sanju'

Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala has been booked on charges of promoting violence and gun culture in his latest song 'Sanju', which was released on social media a couple of days ago, police said on Monday.

This is the second police case against the singer.

On May 4, Moosewala was booked under various provisions of the Disaster Management Act and sections of the Arms Act in Barnala after his photographs of firing an AK-47 rifle at a firing range during the lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of Covid-19 went viral on social media.

Moosewala 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 first investigation reports (FIRs), including the one under the Arms Act, registered against him, Punjab Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) and Director Punjab Bureau of Investigations Arpit Shukla said.

It has been verified that the latest video-song, 'Sanju’, was uploaded from Moosewala's official YouTube channel, he said.

The singer has been booked under relevant Indian Penal Code sections, including 188 (disobedience to order) and 294 (obscene acts and songs) and 504 (provocation to break public peace), the ADGP said.

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 case by the Punjab Police for unauthorised use of an AK-47 rifle, said Shukla in an official release issued here.

In the video, the singer's news clip is later merged with news reports of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, said the release. Dutt had also faced charges under the Arms Act.

Shukla said the lyrics of the song, as well as the video, promotes and glorifies possession and use of illegal fire-arms, and boasts about registration of FIR as a sign of a "real man".

The officer said the lyrics of the song, "gabru de naal Santali (47) jud gayi, ghato ghat saja paanj saal vat de, gabru utte case jehra Sanjay Dutt te, jatt utte case jehra Sanjay Dutt te… (the man has been associated with AK-47, minimum jail terms is five years and he faces the case which Sanjay Dutt faced."

Shukla said this not only promotes use of illegal fire-arms but also undermines the judiciary, the police and the advocates.

Moosewala had been earlier booked for a similar offence on February 1 by the Mansa police, he said.

His latest act is clearly 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.

Police will move the Punjab and Haryana High Court for cancellation of the anticipatory bail granted in the Arms Act case, he said.

“The police will be soon filing a petition for the cancellation of the anticipatory bail granted to Moosewala,” Shukla said.

The ADGP said the high court had already directed the Director Generals 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.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has expressed deep concerns over the propagation of violence and gun culture in Punjabi songs and has given clear 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 hooliganism.

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