Supreme Court forms independent committee to probe PM security breach in Punjab

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was stuck on a flyover for almost 20 minutes on his way to Punjab to attend an event on January 5 after protesters blocked his way.

Retired Supreme Court judge Indu Malhotra will head a committee to probe the incident of security breach in the prime minister’s convoy that took place in Punjab earlier this month, the apex court ruled on January 12.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana had earlier stated that the court would constitute the probe panel.

Malhotra will be assisted by Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, a high ranking official of the National Investigating Agency, either the Director General or a nominee not below the rank of an Inspector General, Director General of the Police of Chandigarh, and Additional Director General of Police (security) of Punjab.

The issue came before the Supreme Court through a public interest litigation plea seeking an independent probe into the January 5 incident.

Retired IPS officer and former Puducherry L-G Dr Kiran Bedi welcomed the Supreme Court's decision while terming the security breach incident most "disastrous performance" by Punjab Police.

"The committee set up by Supreme Court is most welcome & absolutely needed because it has been the most disastrous performance by Punjab civil administration & police, which set a very bad example for the rest of the country," news agency ANI quoted ex-IPS officer Kiran Bedi as saying.

Weighing in on the incident further, she alleged that the Punjab government was willing to compromise PM Modi's security. "The failure was suspected earlier but now it is obvious. Punjab govt was willing to compromise PM's security. The officers will have to pay a heavy price for acceptance of illegal and irregular orders. The Chief Secretary, DGP & Home Secretary are accountable for this," Bedi added.

The prime minister’s convoy was halted on a flyover in Punjab’s Ferozepur district for 20 minutes and the incident was identified as a severe security breach and led to a political spat between the BJP and the Congress. It also saw the Centre and the Punjab government forming their own panels to investigate the matter.

When the apex court heard the matter, the two committees were asked to halt their probes and the Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court was directed to secure and safeguard all the relevant travel records.

The Union government had opposed the incident being probed by the state government’s panel with the apprehension that the probe will not be a fair one. Punjab said that the Union government’s committee may not carry out a fair probe.

The Centre had also flagged the possibility of a foreign hand and “cross-border terrorism” at play behind the incident.