The Supreme Court today directed the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to forthwith secure and preserve all records relating to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Punjab visit on January 5.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India N V Ramana directed the state of Punjab including police authorities, SPG and other central and state agencies to cooperate and provide necessary assistance to the Registrar General in this regard.
Supreme Court of India is hearing a petition filed by senior advocate Maninder Singh, seeking a thorough probe into the alleged breach in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security cover during his Punjab visit. An SC Bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli is hearing the plea.
It said that the Director General of the Union territory of Chandigarh and an NIA official will assist the Registrar General (RG) in collecting the records and asked the RG to keep all records in his safe custody for the time being.
“Director General of UT of Chandigarh and an NIA to be nominated by the Registrar General will assist the latter in collecting the records,” the bench said.
This seems to be a significant move by the Supreme Court, as these officers are not associated with the Punjab state government or the Punjab IPS cadre. The involvement of the NIA signifies that the Apex Court paid due care and attention to the scheme of the Special Protection Group Act, 1988.
The SPG Act, 1988 highlights that the state government under Section 14 of the said act is obligated to aid the SPG for the security of the Prime Minister of India.
The apex court also asked the Centre and the state to hold further action by the committees they have constituted to inquire into the alleged lapses in security measures pertaining to the Prime Minister’s visit till it hears the matter again on January 10. The directions came on a plea by ‘Lawyer’s Voice’, a Delhi-based rights body
