By PTI
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre and the state government to put on hold their probes into the security lapse during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Ferozepur visit and directed the high court registrar general to immediately secure all relevant records.
The Union Home Ministry has issued showcause notices to Bathinda’s Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Maluja and five other officers over the “major lapses, officials told PTI, as the slugfest between political parties over Wednesday’s incident continued.
The directions by a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana came on a day when a Central team investigating the lapse visited Ferozepur, meeting officials responsible for the security arrangements for the PM’s visit.
Also, the Punjab government submitted a report to the Centre, giving the sequence of events and informing that an FIR has been registered against about 150 unidentified protesters.
The prime minister’s convoy was stranded on a flyover in Firozepur for nearly 20 minutes on Wednesday due to a blockade by farmers.
He then returned from poll-bound Punjab without attending the planned events, including a rally.
The Centre accused the state’s Congress government for the security breach and sought an immediate report from it.
Both the Centre and the state set up separate inquiry committees into the lapse.
But the Supreme Court has now asked them to hold their horses and not proceed with their inquiries till Monday, when it takes up the matter again.
Heard counsel for parties. Taking into consideration the arguments advanced, keeping in view that it pertained to the security of the prime minister and other issues…as first step, we deem it appropriate to direct Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court to secure records forthwith, the bench, also comprising justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, said in the order.
The Registrar General will be assisted by the Director General of Police, the Union Territory of Chandigarh, and an officer of the National Investigation Agency not below the rank of Inspector General in securing the records from the state government, its police and the central agencies, the bench said.
The Centre on Friday supported the petition filed in the SC by “Lawyers’ Voice”, seeking a thorough probe in the “massive security breach”.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought the involvement of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the probe as there was a possibility of an “international terrorist angle” and it was a unique case that had the potential to cause international embarrassment.
The three-member committee, announced by the Union Home Ministry, is seeking details about the sequence of events that unfolded during Modi’s Punjab visit, sources said.
The panel is led by Sudhir Kumar Saxena, Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat.
It has Balbir Singh, Joint Director of the Intelligence Bureau and S Suresh, IG, Special Protection Group as two other members.
Amid foggy weather conditions, the team visited the Pyarayana flyover near Ferozepur on Friday morning and interacted with senior Punjab Police and administration officials.
The team spent about 45 minutes at the flyover before heading to the BSF sector headquarters 10 km away.
It was closeted there with senior officials responsible for ensuring a smooth passage for the PM’s convoy.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Secretary Anirudh Tewari wrote to the Union Home Ministry on the security breach, also mentioning that the state government has formed its own two-member panel to investigate the alleged lapses.
On Friday, BJP leaders continued to target the Channi government over the lapse while the Congress largely played down the incident.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar demanded that his Punjab counterpart Charanjit Singh Channi’s government should be dismissed and President’s Rule imposed in the state.
But Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu claimed that the BJP was ranting about the incident while trying to save itself from the humiliation over the low turnout at the PM’s rally venue.
In Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav taunted, The people and farmers of Punjab should have allowed the PM to reach the dais…he would have felt good on seeing the empty chairs.”
Union minister Anurag Thakur questioned the silence of top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over the security lapse.
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi offered prayers at the Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai for the prime minister’s well-being.
“The deliberate criminal negligence during the visit of the world’s popular and admired leader Narendra Modi has made the Congress a cowardly conspiracy clan,” he charged.
