FPJ Legal: Supreme Court to hear PIL seeking probe into security lapses during PM Modi's Punjab visit

FPJ Legal: Supreme Court to hear PIL seeking probe into security lapses during PM Modi's Punjab visit

FPJ Web DeskUpdated: Thursday, January 06, 2022, 12:26 PM IST
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Supreme Court | PTI

The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Friday a plea seeking a court-monitored probe into the breach of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security while on a visit to Punjab on Wednesday, reported news agency ANI.

Senior advocate Maninder Singh mentioned the matter before the top court while terming it a serious lapse and sought a probe.

According to Bar and Bench, a Bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, Justices Surya Kant, and Hima Kohli asked Singh, who was appearing for an organization, Lawyer's Voice, which has filed the plea, to serve a copy of the petition to the Punjab government and posted it for hearing on Friday.

Singh said that it was a serious lapse on the part of the Punjab government to allow PM's cavalcade to be stranded on the road causing an unacceptable security breach.

"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 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 jeopardized the security of the Prime Minister," the plea stated.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government on Thursday constituted a two-member high level committee to conduct a "thorough probe" into lapses during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ferozepur.

The committee, which will submit its report within three days, comprises Justice (Retd.) Mehtab Singh Gill and Principal Secretary, Home Affairs and Justice, Anurag Verma.

In a major security lapse, the prime minister's convoy was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters in Ferozepur on Wednesday. He returned from poll-bound Punjab without attending any event, including a rally.

The Union Home Ministry has directed the state government to file an immediate report, saying it did not ensure the required deployment. Home Minister Amit Shah said such dereliction of the security procedure during the prime minister's visit is totally unacceptable and accountability will be fixed.

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has denied any security lapse or political motive behind it and said his government is ready for an inquiry.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)

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