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PM security breach: Punjab seeks more time for action against officials
The state government’s response came after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs shot off a strongly worded letter to the chief secretary expressing its displeasure over delay in action against the erring officials
The Punjab government has sought more time from the Centre for action against senior police and administrative officials indicted by the Supreme Court-appointed committee in connection with the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state in January last year.
The state government’s response came after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs shot off a strongly worded letter to the chief secretary expressing its displeasure over delay in action against the erring officials.
The letter, written six weeks ago, is the second communication from the MHA to the state government in the past nine months. In March 2023, then home secretary Ajay Bhalla had questioned delay in action against the officials responsible for the security lapse.
In a reply to the Centre, Punjab said that show-cause notices have been issued to the officials. “We have sought some time from the MHA. We have told the MHA seven police officials have already been suspended on the basis of Justice Indu Malhotra report,” said a top state government functionary.
Another senior official, who also wished not to be quoted, said: “There is a set procedure that has to be followed in taking action against the IPS and IAS officers. We need to set up a probe committee and the indicted officers need to be given time to appear before the investigation officer. The process has already been set in motion.”
A senior government official said some officers have not replied to the show-cause-notices citing that they don’t remember the exact happenings on that day and had sought CCTV footages of the PM’s visit.
It was after the fresh MHA letter that the Punjab government, on November 22, suspended and chargesheeted Bathinda superintendent of police Gurbinder Singh Sangha and six junior officers for dereliction of duty in connection with the security breach.
Suspension of seven police officers was said to be first serious action by the Punjab government almost two years after the incident. Gurbinder Singh, who was posted as Bathinda SP, was placed under suspension with immediate effect along with two DSP-rank officers Parson Singh and Jagdish Kumar. Others suspended by the government include two inspectors, one sub-inspector and one assistant sub-inspector.
After the Indu Malhotra committee’s indictment, the Punjab government had decided to initiate disciplinary proceedings for a “major penalty” against former DGP Siddharth Chattopadhyaya, then DIG (Ferozepur range) Inderbir Singh and then SSP (Ferozepur) Harmandeep Singh Hans.
The 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-cum-ASLO and nodal officer) 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 SC panel. Then chief secretary Anirudh Tiwari was also indicted in the report.
