The proposed release and streaming of web series “Lawrence of Punjab”— reportedly based on the life of ‘gangster’ Lawrence Bishnoi and portraying his alleged rise from a student leader to the head of a criminal syndicate— on Wednesday came under judicial scanner with the filing of a public interest petition by Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring seeking the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s intervention for restraining its exhibition.Describing himself as a public-spirited citizen, the petitioner approached the High Court seeking directions to the Union of India and other respondents to stop/ban its release and public exhibition on social media platforms.The petitioner submitted that such directions were required to be issued in the larger interest of society, particularly keeping in view the prevailing social and criminal environment in the state of Punjab. The plea added that the web series, as evident from its promotional material and description, was based on the life and activities of “notorious gangster” Lawrence Bishnoi and purported to portray his rise from a student leader to the head of a criminal syndicate.The petitioner contended that such depiction, centred around the growth, power and influence of a real-life criminal figure, carried a serious risk of creating an aspirational image of criminal conduct, particularly among impressionable youth. The petition was filed on Wednesday through counsel Nikhil Ghai and is expected to come up for consideration before the Bench in due course.