PM security breach: Supreme Court appointed five-member committee begins probe, also investigates rally site

PM Narendra Modi`s Punjab visit got cancelled due to security lapse. File Pic

A month after the security lapse involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi occurred on January 5 in Punjab, the five-member committee set up by the Supreme Court reached the incident site at Ferozepur for the first time to probe the case on Sunday.

The Supreme Court had set up a five-member committee on January 12, headed by retired top court judge Justice Indu Malhotra to probe into the security lapse.

Justice Indu Malhotra inspected the flyover on which the Prime Minister was stuck for nearly 15 to 20 minutes on his way to the public meeting in Ferozepur. She also went to the site where the rally was scheduled to take place.

Justice Malhotra was accompanied by the DGP of Chandigarh, IG of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), ADGP Security of Punjab and the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Notably, the complete record related to PM's visit has already reached the committee.

After the security lapse of the Prime Minister last month, the Centre and the Punjab government had started separate investigations. Punjab formed a committee of retired Justice Mehtab Singh Gill and Home Secretary Anurag Verma. While the Centre also formed an inquiry committee headed by the Security Secretary along with Intelligence Bureau and SPG officers. The Central Committee had already started the investigation. Then the matter reached the Supreme Court. The top court dismissed both the committees and a joint inquiry committee was formed under the leadership of retired Justice Indu Malhotra who arrived today for investigation.

The other members of the committee are Director General of National Investigation Agency (NIA) or his nominee not below the rank of Inspector General of Police, Director General of Police (DGP) Union Territory of Chandigarh, Additional DGP of Punjab (Security) and Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The top court asked the committee to submit a report at the earliest.

The Prime Minister was stuck atop a flyover for 15-20 minutes while on his way to Ferozepur in Punjab last week due to the road being blocked by some protesters. The Ministry of Home Affairs termed it as a "major lapse" in his security.

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