[BREAKING] PM Modi security breach: Plea in Supreme Court seeks probe; suspension of Punjab DGP, Chief Secretary

A petition has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking a court-monitored probe into the breach in security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Punjab yesterday when the PM's convoy was stuck on a flyover at Hussainwala.

. The plea filed by an organisation Lawyers Voice was mentioned by Senior Advocate Maninder Singh before Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana who agreed to hear it tomorrow.

"It has to be ensured that it’s not be repeated. This writ petition has to be taken up," said Singh.

"What can we do," asked the CJI.

"It cannot be repeated My Lord. We don't want this kind of to take place again. There needs to be an enquiry into the bandobast under court monitored probe," Singh said.

"We will hear tomorrow," the CJI responded.

The plea besides seeking probe also sought suspension of Chief Secretary of Punjab, Anirudh Tewari and Director General of Police, Sidharth Chattopadhyaya.

It also prayed for the apex court to take cognizance of the incident and direct the Bhatinda District Judge to collect all official documents and materials regarding the deployment and movements of Punjab Police part of the security breach.

. PM Modi's convoy was stuck on flyover for twenty minutes after protestors allegedly blocked the same.

The Central government and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) blamed the Congress government in Punjab for the security lapse.

The Congress government, however, maintained that the PM had altered his route at the last minute.

. The plea before the Supreme Court stated the security lapse was intentional and blamed the Congress government in Punjab for the same.

"The security lapse, as per reliable reports in the print and the electronic media, and as per the Press Information Bureau report of Central Government, was clearly intentional and raises a serious question as to national security and the role played by the present political dispensation in the State of Punjab," the plea said.

As per settled procedure, the programme and the security arrangements for the Prime Minister are already shared with the local State governments prior to the visit and even joint discussions are conducted prior to the visit in order to ensure the high level of security required to be maintained, the plea claimed.

The movement of the motorcade from various points in the State is discussed in advance along with State officials and personnel, it was contended.

However, in the instant case, private persons were given access to the Prime Minister’s route, and other persons were instigated to join the blockade, which represents a serious and unpardonable breach of national security by the State apparatus and the political establishment of the State, the petitioner alleged.

"The overall responsibility for ensuring the safety of the Prime Minster rests with the State Government and the responsibility for providing proximate security will rest with the Special Protection Group (SPG) as per the SPG Act 1988. On the contrary, what was shocking and alarming on many levels was that local Police personnel on the spot were seen to be participating with the hooligans who jeopardised the security of the Prime Minister," it was submitted.

. It alleged complicity on the part of State authorities given their presence at the blockage site.

" If the Prime Minister of the country can face such a situation, then the fundamental rights of citizens ... are in serious jeopardy in the State of Punjab and beyond, " the petition said.

[BREAKING] PM Modi security breach: Plea in Supreme Court seeks probe; suspension of Punjab DGP, Chief Secretary

Debayan Roy

Related Stories