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PM security breach: Punjab govt starts process to act against ex-DGP, 2 police officials
State rights panel chief appointed as inquiry officer to initiate disciplinary proceedings against ex-DGP S Chattopadhyaya, then Faridkot DIG Inderbir Singh and then Ferozepur SSP Harmabir Singh Hans
Chandigarh : Almost two years after they were indicted by a Supreme Court-appointed inquiry committee for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security breach, the Punjab government has decided to initiate disciplinary proceedings against three senior police officials.
Police officials who have been served chargesheet include former director general of police (DGP) Siddharth Chattopadhyaya, then Faridkot DIG Inderbir Singh and then Ferozepur SSP Harmabir Singh Hans.
The state government has appointed Punjab Human Rights Commission chairman justice (retd) Sant Parkash as the inquiry officer, who will initiate the probe under section 8 of the All India Services (discipline and appeal) Rules, 1969, read with All India Services (DCRB) Rules,1958, rule 6(1) and its subrule (b) (ii), by hearing these officials.
Officials familiar with the matter said the file regarding this has been cleared by the chief minister’s office and the home department will soon issue orders in this regard.
The Supreme Court had ordered an inquiry after the convoy of Prime Minister Modi was stranded for half-an-hour on a flyover when he was travelling by road from Bathinda airport to Ferozepur on January 5, 2022.
A belligerent crowd of about 300 protesters gathered at the end of the flyover, prompting the Special Protection Group, that protects the PM, to halt the convoy and head back to the airport. Before returning to Delhi, PM Modi told Punjab officials, “Apne CM ko thanks kehna, ki mein Bathinda airport tak zinda laut paaya (Thank your CM on my behalf that I could return alive to Bathinda airport).”
A Congress government headed by Charanjit Singh Channi was in power in the state then.
On January 12, 2022, the Supreme Court appointed its former judge Indu Malhotra to chair the five-member special committee to probe the security lapse. The committee submitted its report in March 2022 recommending ‘major penalty’ against these officers.
According to a senior government official not wishing to be named, an inquiry officer has to be appointed before initiating disciplinary action against indicted officers. According to rules, the indicted officials need to be given time to clear their stand before the inquiry officer on the basis on chargesheet served to them.
The move to start disciplinary proceedings against these officials came after a rap by the Union ministry of home affairs. The ministry had in March and November last year shot off letters to Punjab chief secretary conveying its displeasure over the delay in action for security lapse.
It was under pressure from the MHA that the Punjab government on November 22 suspended and charge-sheeted Bathinda superintendent of police Gurbinder Singh Sangha and six junior officers for dereliction of duty for PM’s security breach.
According to an order issued by the state home department on November 22, Gurbinder Singh, who was posted as Bathinda SP, was placed under suspension with immediate effect alongwith two DSP-rank officers --- Parson Singh and Jagdish Kumar. Others suspended by the government included two inspectors, a sub-inspector and an assistant sub-inspector.
Apart from “major penalty” against three police officers cited above, the Punjab government had also decided to seek explanations from 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) Rakesh Agrawal, then DIG (Faridkot) Surjeet Singh, and then SSP (Moga) Charanjit Singh as to why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against them as recommended by the Supreme Court-constituted panel.
Then chief secretary Anirudh Tiwari was also indicted in the report but he has been exonerated of all charges.
