New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has decided to initiate disciplinary proceedings for a major penalty against Sidharth Chattopadhya, the then DGP Punjab, Inderbir Singh, the then DIG, Ferozepur Range and Harmandeep Singh Hans, the then SSP Ferozepur, a notification of the Punjab Government said.
The notification says that CM Mann has also sought an explanation from the then ADGP Law and Order, then ADGP Cyber Crime and other top police officials as to why disciplinary action should not be initiated against them as per Enquiry Committee's recommendation.
Last week, Punjab Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua told ABP News that the state government would send an action-taken report to the Centre in 2-3 days over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security breach during his visit to the state on January 5 last year.
Janjua said action would be taken against all the eight police officers indicted in the probe report submitted by a panel headed by retired Supreme Court judge Indu Malhotra. He said the officers would be called and given a chance to present their case.
The development comes days after a letter was sent by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to the Punjab government seeking a detailed action taken report against the erring officers, ANI reported.
PM Modi Security Breach
On January 5, 2022, Prime Minister Modi's cavalcade was on its way to Hussainiwala in Ferozepur from Bathinda airport when it ran into a blockade by protesters en route. The convoy was stranded on a flyover for 15-20 minutes -- a major breach of security protocol.
A Congress government headed by Charanjit Singh Channi was in charge of the state at that time.
Soon after the security breach, the MHA formed a three-member committee and summoned more than a dozen senior Punjab Police personnel, including the DGP of Punjab Police, Siddharth Chattopadhyaya, the Punjab ADGP Punjab, IGP Patiala, and DIG for Ferozpur. They were in charge of the Prime Minister's security during his visit to Ferozepur.
The Centre is considering action under the Special Protection Group (SPG) Act against the erring Punjab Police officers, ANI reported. Section 14 of the SPG Act makes the state government responsible for providing all assistance to the SPG during the PM's movement.