Supreme Court inquiry panel indicts SSP Ferozepur on PM's security breach

A court-appointed panel headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Indu Malhotra Committee, which inquired into security lapses to the Prime Minister's convoy in Punjab in January this year, told the top court that there were lapses on the part of state police and indicted Ferozepur SSP for not taking steps in connection with security to Narendra Modi's convoy.

The panel also informed the court that there should be an oversight committee for periodic revision of 'Blue Book', dealing with the security of the top functionaries of the country.

Acting on a plea by NGO 'Lawyers Voice', the Supreme Court had on January 12 appointed Justice Malhotra to head the committee to investigate Narendra Modi's security breach in Punjab.

During the hearing, the bench led by Chief Justice N V Ramana read out portions of the report which stated that then SSP Harmandeep Singh Hans failed to discharge his duties and provide sufficient security even though adequate time was available with him.

The court ordered for sending of the report to the government for necessary follow-up action.

Apart from Malhotra as chairperson of the enquiry committee, other members of the inquiry panel included the Director General of the NIA or his nominee not below the rank of IG, DGP of Chandigarh UT, ADGP (Security), Punjab and Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana HC.

On January 5, on a visit to Hussainiwala, district Firozpur, the convoy of the Prime Minister was stuck on a flyover for around 20 minutes, constituting a "very grave security breach that could have had significant repercussions on the safety of the constitutional functionary".