Supreme Court Rejects Punjab Govt's Request To Access Witness Statements Before Enquiry Committee On Security Lapses During PM's Visit

The Supreme Court on Friday (November 22) rejected a request made by the Punjab Government for a copy of the statements made by witnesses before the Justice Indu Malhotra Committee which enquired into the security lapses which occurred during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's travel to Punjab in January 2022.

The State Government sought to access the statements to conduct enquiry against the officers who were liable for the security lapses. The Court observed that the State can conduct its enquiry independently without the aid of the witness statements before the enquiry committee.

"We see no ground to entertain the request made by Punjab govt. The state may conduct its enquiry against delinquent officers without the aid of the statements said to have been made by the witnesses before the enquiry committee," observed a bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan.

The security lapse occurred on January 5, 2022, when a group of protesters, who were agitating against the farm laws, blocked the PM's cavalcade when he was travelling by road from Bathinda to the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala.

In January 2022, the Supreme Court appointed former SC judge Justice Indu Malhotra to head a committee to enquire into the security lapses. The order was passed in a PIL filed by an NGO named "Lawyers' Voice". In the report submitted to the Court, the Committee found lapses on the part of the Punjab Police.

Case Title : Lawyers Voice versus Union of India | Writ Petition(s)(Civil) No(s).13/2022

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