Six months after the report of the Supreme Court-appointed inquiry committee was submitted, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla has asked Punjab Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan to submit an action taken report for the delay in acting against government officials indicted for lapses in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security.
The report, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Indu Malhotra, indicted several top officers, including the then state chief secretary Anirudh Tewari and the then police chief S Chattopadhyaya, for the security lapse that led to the Prime Minister's convoy being stranded on a flyover for half an hour on January 5, 2022.
Senior Superintendents of Police Harmandeep Singh Hans and Charanjit Singh, Additional Director Generals of Police G Nageswara Rao and Naresh Arora, Inspectors General Rakesh Aggarwal and Inderbir Singh, and the then deputy inspector general Surjeet Singh (now retired) were also indicted.
The Centre wrote to the state in September last year, but no action was taken.
The report's findings led to a mounting crisis for the state government, with the opposition calling for action against the officials. The delay in action has drawn criticism from the Union Home Secretary, with officials now under pressure to submit an action taken report.
The incident occurred during PM Modi's visit to Punjab, where he was scheduled to address a rally. The convoy was halted by protesters at the end of the flyover, prompting the Special Protection Group (SPG) to take action and divert the convoy. The Prime Minister had to head back without addressing the rally.
The delay in action against the officials has raised questions about the state government's handling of the matter and its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of the Prime Minister.