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Punjab lifts security detail for Kejriwal after slugfest
The decision – which was made public weeks before the assembly elections in Delhi – sparked a political controversy
The Punjab Police on Thursday said it withdrew a component of security deployed by it as part of the Z+ detail guarding former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, after questions from the Delhi Police and instructions from the Election Commission.
The decision – which was made public weeks before the assembly elections in Delhi – sparked a political controversy; the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said it was a shameful move and the Bharatiya Janata Party hit back, saying the decision on withdrawal of security cover to anyone is an administrative decision taken by government officers.
The AAP is in power in Punjab.
“From time to time, we would get reports (inputs) of threats against Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. Consequent upon that we had been sharing such information to the concerned agencies (security agencies). Today, after Delhi Police’s intervention following the directions of the Election Commission, we have withdrawn Punjab security from Arvind Kejriwal’s security cover. We will continue to share inputs with Delhi Police,” said Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav.
Additional DGP security, Punjab, SS Srivastava said both Mann and Kejriwal were Punjab’s Z+ security protectees. “Some components of Punjab were participating in the security duties of Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi but after the concern raised by Delhi police, we have withdrawn our component,” he added.
Kejriwal is a Z+ protectee with 63 personnel.
Both Yadav and Srivastava were likely referring to a January 6 dated letter from the Delhi Police to the Punjab Police, asking the latter to inform the movement and security details of Punjab leaders, especially ministers canvassing in the national capital, well in advance.
The special commissioner of police, protected security division of Delhi Police, cited in the letter the high security alertness in view of Republic Day and the assembly polls, and also highlighted that Delhi Police was not being informed about the presence of police personnel from other states including Punjab.
On January 18, the Punjab Police responded to the Delhi Police, stating that in view of the heightened security alertness in connection with Republic Day 2025 and Delhi assembly elections, it will provide information regarding tour programmes of protectees of Punjab and accompanying security components while travelling to Delhi
The letter, seen by HT, also said that the Punjab Police asked ADGP, Security, to maintain liaison and coordination with the special commissioner of police, protective security division, Delhi, and also to take suitable measures for briefing and sensitising the Punjab Police officers involved in the provisioning of security to the protectees whenever they intend to undertake road, train, air journey to Delhi.
A senior Delhi police officer confirmed that the Punjab Police had withdrawn their security detail. “He (Kejriwal) continues to be a Z+ protectee of Delhi Police,” this officer said.
A second Delhipolice officer said it was a rule that if anyone had a special category of security from any specific state police, the state police giving the security cover has to inform the other state’s police that the person has a threat perception. The moment a new state’s police takes charge of the person’s security, the earlier security cover returns to its parental state, he said. “We have not withdrawn Kejriwal’s security cover. We’ve just taken over the charge of his security from Punjab police. It is in accordance with the law. Why would we allow Punjab police personnel to give security cover to a person, for whose security we are more competent?” he asked.
The first officer said that the rules laid out by the Union home ministry do not allow a person to get Z+ security from two states.
The issue first became a political controversy on Tuesday, when the BJP’s Parvesh Verma, one of the opponents of Kejriwal in his New Delhi seat, said “thousands of vehicles with Punjab registration plates were roaming around in Delhi”, implying that AAP was bringing people from Punjab.
“Today Delhi police forcibly removed Arvind Kejriwal ‘s Punjab police security. Right now, there is a meeting of Kejriwal ji at J Block in Kali Bari Marg, and goons are already present there with sticks and rods, I am reaching there. Where is the election commission?” said AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva has said the decision on withdrawal of security cover to any one is an administrative decision taken by government officers, so Delhi BJP will not comment on it.
