SC rejects Punjab government’s request to seek statements of witnesses in probe into PM’s security breaches | India News – Times of India

CHANDIGARH: The Supreme Court on Friday refused Government of Punjab‘s plea for copies of statements made by witnesses before the apex court, an inquiry committee headed by a retired judge, Justice Indu Malhotra to investigate the security breach of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Ferozepur on January 5, 2022.
“It is expected that the Government of Punjab will conduct a fair and just investigation against the delinquent officers without the aid of the statements allegedly made by some witnesses before the Commission of Inquiry headed by Honorable Justice Indu Malhotra (retired),” said the division bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan. The court made it clear that it sees no reason to grant the Punjab government’s request in its letter dated October 25. The Punjab government had mentioned in its letter that the accurate statements of these witnesses are necessary for further proceedings against the delinquent officers.
The Supreme Court, by its order dated January 12, 2022, had constituted an inquiry committee headed by Justice Malhotra to probe the security breach of the Prime Minister. In a major security lapse, the Prime Minister’s carcade was stuck over a flyover on the Moga-Ferozepur highway for almost 20 minutes as farmers protested against his visit on January 5, 2022.
After the inquiry committee submitted its report to the Supreme Court, the court had on August 25, 2022, directed its registry to furnish a copy of the said report to both the Central Government and the Punjab Government for further action. But after much delay and reminders from the central government, the Punjab government had on March 20, 2023 decided to initiate disciplinary proceedings for ‘major punishment’ against former DGP Siddharth Chattopadhyaya, then DIG Ferozepur Range Inderbir Singh and then SSP Ferozepur Harmandeep Singh Hans for violating the Prime Minister’s security.
The state government had then also decided to seek explanation from the then ADGP (law and order) Naresh Arora, then ADGP (cyber crime) G Nageshwara Rao, then IG Patiala range Mukhwinder Singh Chhina, then IG counter intelligence-cum-ASLO and nodal officer Rakesh Agrawal, then DIG Faridkot Surjeet Singh and then SSP Moga Charanjit Singh on why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against them, as recommended by the The Supreme Court has set up a commission of inquiry. But final action against any of these officials is yet to be taken by the state government.
Later, the Punjab Home Department decided to suspend seven police officials in the case on November 25, 2023. These include SP Gurbinder Singh, DSPs Parson Singh and Jagdish Kumar, Inspectors Jatinder Singh and Balwinder Singh, Sub-Inspector Jaswant Singh and ASI Ramesh Kumar. The Punjab Home Department had sent their case to the Punjab Police Chief Gaurav Yadav seeking a draft charge against them for severe punishment under Rule 8 of the Punjab Civil Service (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 1970, in addition to a list of evidence and other documents.