Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Aug 25: A committee established to look into the security breach of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Punjab earlier this year informed the Supreme Court on Thursday that the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) at Ferozepur had neglected his responsibility to uphold law and order.
The Chief Justice of India, NV Ramana, and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli highlighted in a bench decision that the Committee had recommended corrective actions to be done to ensure the security of the Prime Minister.
CJI Ramana remarked as she read the findings from the Committee led by former Supreme Court Justice Indu Malhotra:
“There are remedial measures and safeguards needed for PM security. It is suggested that a oversight committee be constituted, training of police officers as per blue book, security planning for VVIP visits…”
The apex Court said revealing the findings of the Committee,
“Ferozepur SSP failed to discharge his duty to maintain law and order. He failed to do this even though sufficient force was available and even though he was informed 2 hours before that PM Modi will enter that route.”
The Committee had proposed several corrective actions to increase the security of the Prime Minister in light of this. The Bench also declined to give the questioned police officers a redacted copy of the Committee’s report.
PM security breach in Punjab in January 2022 | Supreme Court reads report filed by five-member Committee headed by a retired top court judge, Justice Indu Malhotra, as per which Ferozepur SSP failed to discharge his duty to maintain law and order. pic.twitter.com/1DoaKY1mFq
— ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2022
The court was hearing a request for a court-monitored investigation into the alleged security lapse that took place when PM Modi’s convoy was stalled on a flyover at Hussainwala for twenty minutes after individuals allegedly blocked the road in protest of the now-rescinded farm rules.
The Congress-led Punjabi government was held accountable by the federal government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the security breakdown. However, the State government argued that the PM had abruptly changed his course.
