NEW DELHI: The 5-member judicial committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Indu Malhotra that was appointed by Apex Court to probe the alleged security lapse has indicted the then SSP of Ferozepur for failing to provide security to PM Modi’s convoy on January 5.
Referring to the report, the bench of CJI NV Ramana, Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli on Thursday said that Punjab police official had “failed” to discharge his duties of maintaining law and order or take any steps for deploying additional force for strengthening the security.
“The SSP Ferozepur Harmandeep Singh Hans 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 two hours before that PM will enter that route,” bench said while reading the report.
The Court also said that it would send the report to the five-member committee to the government for appropriate action.
PM Narendra Modi’s convoy on January 5 was stranded on a flyover allegedly due to a blockade by farmers in Ferozepur. This had resulted in PM returning from Punjab without attending any event including a rally.
In the petition seeking an independent probe into the PM's security breach incident, SC in January had appointed 5-member judicial committee headed by retired SC judge Justice Indu Malhotra to probe the alleged security lapse. The panel also included Inspector General of the National Investigation Agency, Director General of Police, Chandigarh, the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Additional DGP (Security) of Punjab Police.
Directions were also issued to the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to provide all seized documents pertaining to the security arrangements made by the Punjab government for the PM's visit.