Supreme Court forms independent committee to probe PM Narendra Modi`s security lapse

The apex court said that the committee will be headed by a former Supreme Court judge to probe Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s security breach in Ferozepur, Punjab last week.

New Delhi: Supreme Court on Monday (January 10, 2022) agreed to set up an independent committee to probe Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security breach in Ferozepur in Punjab last week. The Apex court said that the independent committee will be headed by a former Supreme Court judge.

The Court also proposed to include DGP Chandigarh, IG National Investigation Agency, Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court, and ADGP (security) of Punjab, in the independent committee to probe PM Modi's security breach in Punjab last week.

The bench said, "We are taking the PM`s security breach very seriously". The bench added that it will ask the committee to submit its report to it within a short span.

The top court was hearing the plea of an organisation, Lawyers Voice, seeking a thorough investigation into the breach in Prime Minister Modi's security in Punjab to ensure there is no such event in the future.

Earlier, on Friday hearing, a bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, Justices Surya Kant, and Hima Kohli had directed the Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court to secure and preserve the travel records of the Prime Minister during his visit to Punjab forthwith.

The court has also directed the Punjab and police authorities, SPG, and other Central and State agencies to cooperate and provide necessary assistance to seal the entire record.

On January 5, the prime minister's convoy was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters in Ferozepur after which he returned from poll-bound Punjab without attending any event, including a rally. 

Meanwhile, a central team probing the security breach during PM Modi's visit to Ferozepur reached the Punjab town on Friday while the state government submitted a report to the Centre saying an FIR has been filed in the matter and a two-member panel set up.

The Centre's three-member committee will seek details about the sequence of events that unfolded during Modi's January 5 visit. The team first went to the Pyarayana flyover near Ferozepur and interacted with senior Punjab Police and civil administration officials.

(With agency inputs)