The Supreme Court has denied a request for witness statements from those who testified before a former judge regarding a security breach during the Prime Minister’s visit to Punjab.

The Supreme Court has rejected the request from the State Government for witness statements from those who testified before former Judge Indu Malhotra. This was part of an investigation into a security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab in January 2022. The two-Judge Bench, consisting of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, stated that after receiving the committee’s report on August 25, 2022, a copy was sent to both the Centre and the state government, and it was ordered to be kept sealed by the court’s secretary general. The court noted that the Punjab government has now requested witness statements to pursue actions against responsible officers.

The Court further mentioned that there is no reason to consider the Punjab Government’s request, and the State can carry out its investigation against the officers without needing the witness statements from the Enquiry Committee. On January 5, 2022, PM Modi’s convoy was stuck on a flyover due to a protest blockade in Ferozepur, leading him to leave Punjab without attending any events. The Supreme Court appointed a committee led by former Judge Indu Malhotra on January 12, 2022, to investigate this security breach. The committee found that the Ferozepur SSP did not fulfill his responsibilities despite having enough resources. It also recommended establishing an oversight committee for regular updates to the ‘Blue Book’ and training for police officers responsible for the Prime Minister’s security.

The Blue Book outlines a clear and detailed process that state authorities and the special protection force must follow to ensure the Prime Minister’s safety during state visits. A five-member panel informed the Court that the SSP had enough time to act after the Punjab ADGP G Nageshwar Rao notified him about the PM using a contingency route, but the SSP did not take any action. In August 2022, the Court stated it would send the committee’s report to the Centre for further action. The Court noted that Ferozepur SSP Avneet Hans did not fulfill his duty to maintain order or deploy forces to secure the route, despite knowing there were large hostile groups present. He had sufficient resources and was informed two hours in advance about the Prime Minister’s route, yet he failed to act, the Court remarked. As a result, the Apex Court dismissed the plea.