SC panel blames SSP for PM Modi security breach in Ferozepur

New Delhi: Former Supreme Court judge, Justice Indu Malhotra’s panel that inquired into security lapses during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Punjab visit on January 5 informed the Supreme Court that senior superintendent of police (SSP), Ferozpur, had failed to discharge his duty even though sufficient security force was available during Prime Minister’s visit to the area.

Justice Malhotra panel inquired into security lapses in which the PM’s motorcade was stranded on a flyover while heading towards Ferozepur to address a public meeting. The top court had on January 12 constituted a committee headed by Justice Indu Malhotra.

A bench comprising Chief Justice N.V. Ramana, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Hima Kohli, perusing the report said that the committee has recommended that there  should be an oversight committee for periodic revision of ‘Blue Book’ that exclusively provides for the Prime Minister's security.

“The Ferozepur SSP 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 in advance that Prime Minister will enter that route,” says the report.

The court said it will send the report of the five-member committee to the Centre for appropriate action. There are remedial measures and safeguards that are needed for Prime Minister Security, said the bench while perusing the committee’s report.

Appointing Justice Indu Malhotra to head the committee, the top court by its January 12 order had said that only a judicially trained independent mind can be entrusted with the inquiry into security lapses and can’t be left to one sided inquiry either by a committee set-up the Centre or other constituted by the Punjab government.

Besides Justice Indu Malhotra, other members of the committee included Director General or his nominee not below the rank of Inspector General of Police of National Investigation Agency, Director General of Chandigarh police, Additional Director General of Punjab Police (security), and the Registrar General of Punjab & Haryana High Court.

The top court was approached by a lawyer’s organisation ‘Lawyers Voice ‘seeking an independent probe into the security lapses and to ensure that the same does not happen in future again.