New Delhi: According to Live Law Report, The Supreme Court has appointed former Supreme Court judge Justice Indu Malhotra as head of the Committee set to enquire the security lapse which happened during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Punjab on January 5. This appointment was made on Wednesday. The Court said that the “questions cannot be left to one-sided enquiry” and a judicially trained mind needs to oversee the probe.
The Director-General of the National Investigation Agency, Director General of Police of Union Territory of Chandigarh, ADGP (Security) of Punjab and the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court (who has seized the records relating to PM’s visit) are the other members of the Committee.
The points of reference of the Committee will be- who all are responsible for the security breach and to what extent, remedial measures of safeguard necessary & any suggestions on securities of Constitutional functionaries.
“…these questions can’t be left to one-sided inquiries. A judicially trained independent mind duly assisted with officers well acquired with security issues & Registrar general of HC who seized records would be best placed, to submit a comprehensive report”, CJI NV Ramana read out the operative portion of the order.
The court has ordered the panel to submit the report as soon as possible.
The order in a PIL filed by an NGO “Lawyer’s Voice” seeking a probe into the security lapse during PM’s trip, was passed by a bench comprising the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Hima Kohli.
On the last occasion ( 10th January) the Court while deciding to constitute an independent committee had asked both the Central Government and the Punjab Government to put on hold the inquiries by the Committees constituted by them in the meanwhile.
Earlier on 7th January, the Supreme Court had directed the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to secure the records relating to the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Punjab on January 5, during which a security lapse occurred when a group of protesters blocked the PM’s cavalcade.
The Court had directed the State of Punjab, central and state agencies to cooperate with the Registrar General and provide entire records immediately. The Court said that both the Director-General of Police of Chandigarh UT and an officer from NIA can be nodal officers.
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