Desk, 10-Jan; The Supreme Court on Monday stated that it will form a committee to probe Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security lapse case. It has asked all current inquiries to stop. The committee will be headed by a retired judge of the apex court.Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that the Additional Director General of Punjab cannot be part of the inquiry committee but will also be subject to inquiry. Advocate General of Punjab DS Patwalia, who appeared for the state, also informed the bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli that the ADGP should be responsible for the overall security.AG Punjab also stated that the Centre-appointed committee should not take action till the Supreme Court-appointed committee files its report. He said that seven show cause notices were issued to police officers and other authorities of the state, without any opportunity of hearing. Patwalia argued that the officers will not get a fair hearing and urged the court for an independent probe, as mentioned in a report in Bar and Bench.SG Mehta said that there was no prior intimation to the convoy that there was a gathering near the flyover. He said that the state defending the police officers is “very, very serious”.”If you want to take disciplinary action against the State officers, then what remains for this Court to do?,” asked CJI Ramana.AG Punjab stated that the Centre-appointed committee is headed by the Ministry of Home Affairs and they are of the prima facie opinion that the police officers are guilty.After a brief discussion, the bench decided to form a committee to probe the security lapse.The hearing comes after the Prime Minister’s convoy got stuck on a flyover at Hussainwala for 20 minutes. Protestors had allegedly blocked the road. The Centre and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) blamed the Punjab government, helmed by the Congress party, for the security lapse.(CNS)
