Supreme Court rejects Punjab’s plea on witnesses’ statements
The Supreme Court on Friday turned down the Punjab Government’s plea seeking statements of witnesses who have deposed before former apex court judge Indu Malhotra to probe the security breach during PM Narendra Modi’s visit to the state in January 2022.
The Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan asked the state government to independently conduct the inquiry against delinquent officers without the aid of statements.
The top court appointed a committee headed by former judge Indu Malhotra on January 12, 2022, to probe the security breach. “After receipt of report of the committee, matter was taken up on August 25, 2022. Copy of the report was directed to be supplied to the Centre and the state government. It was directed that the report shall be kept in a sealed cover in safe custody of the secretary general of this court,” the Bench said.
“It seems the Punjab Government has now sent a letter seeking statements of witnesses to conduct further proceedings against delinquent officers,” it said.
The Bench said, “We see no ground to entertain the request made by the Punjab Government. The state may conduct its inquiry against delinquent officers without the aid of the statements said to have been made by the witnesses before the inquiry committee.”
The Supreme Court-appointed committee to probe the security breach during PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab had found that the Ferozepur SSP failed to discharge his duty although sufficient force was available.
The five-member panel had also told the apex court that the SSP had sufficient time after then Punjab ADGP G Nageshwar Rao informed him that the PM would be taking the contingency route. But the SSP failed to take action, it said.
The Tribune
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/lapse-in-pms-security-supreme-court-rejects-punjabs-plea-on-witnesses-statements/
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