Punjab and Haryana HC for fresh assessment of threat to Sidhu

The HC bench of Justice Raj Mohan Singh observed that the audit in Sidhu’s case was last done in April 2022, after which he had raised two more issues that have not been dealt with while downgrading his security cover from Z+ category to Y category

Chandigarh: Taking note of former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu’s claims that he faces threat from gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, the Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) has directed Bhagwant Mann-led state government to undertake a fresh threat perception exercise and take a decision accordingly within a month.

Former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu’s claims that he faces threat from gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, (PTI)

The HC bench of justice Raj Mohan Singh observed that the audit in Sidhu’s case was last done in April 2022, after which he had raised two more issues that have not been dealt with while downgrading his security cover from Z+ category to Y category.

The two issues raised by Sidhu in his petition was that, in a Bihar court, a statement was made that he could not be physically summoned as he was at great security risk. He was to appear there in a case. The second issue raised by him in his plea was that he faced threat from gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who was allegedly involved in the murder of singer Sidhu Moosewala.

Sidhu had moved HC with the plea seeking upgrade in his security cover from Y to Z+ category on April 27, claiming threat to his life.

The court said that Sidhu can also give inputs to corroborate what he has mentioned in his plea and the competent authority can pass a fresh order about his security cover after analysis.

The court made it clear that the issue of security is a state subject and the court interference should be minimal. “..the issue of providing security cover is a dynamic process, which depends upon periodic analysis of the threat perception of the individual by the competent authority in order to rule out any unfounded apprehension or otherwise the competent authority has to analyse the material to be supplied by the state agency, central agency and by the protectee or individual,” the court said adding that the exercise lied exclusively under the domain of the competent authority for making lawful and rational assessment of threat on the basis of inputs.

The court restrained itself from disclosing the contents of the sealed cover reports of the state and central agencies in the order, observing that de-categorisation of the security may sometimes prompt the inimical anti-social elements to take a drastic step. But it noted that in the exercise, wherein his security cover was downgraded. Out of 45 protectees, the security of six protectees was de-categorised. The security of four protectees, including Sidhu, was scaled down and the security of three protectees was scaled up as per the threat perception reports. Sidhu enjoyed Z+ security cover before his jail term in a road rage case. However, when he came out this year it was downgraded to Y category.