PM security: Panel headed by ex-judge to probe breach
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday said it would set up a panel headed by its former judge to probe the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Punjab and stayed the parallel inquiries by committees of the Centre and the state government into the lapses.
Stressing that the apex court was not “undermining the importance of the security of the Prime Minister” and dealing it with “all seriousness”, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana said the separate inquiries by panels set by the Centre and the State government will be stayed.
The bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta about the time frame within which the court-appointed panel should give the report and said it will keep this aspect in mind.
The top court was hearing the plea of an organisation, Lawyers Voice, seeking a thorough investigation into the breach in Modi’s security in Punjab to ensure there is no such incident in the future.
Meanwhile, several advocates of the Supreme Court on Monday claimed to have received an international call with a recorded message asking the top court not to “help Modi regime” by taking up a matter related to Prime Minister’s security breach in Punjab last week. The recorded message claimed responsibility for blocking the Prime Minister’s passage on Wednesday last week.
On January 5, the Prime Minister’s convoy was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters in Ferozepur after which he returned from poll-bound Punjab without attending any event, including a rally.
The top court also took note of the concerns of the Punjab government that its officials are being condemned by the central government panel without any proceedings and ordered, “All inquiries should stop.”
The state’s law officer said an independent committee must be set up as he apprehended that the state officials will not get a fair hearing before the Centre’s panel.