PM Modi's security breach: Supreme Court directs Punjab HC Registrar General to preserve travel records

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to secure and preserve all records related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's travel to the State which was marred by a security breach.

The top court also directed the two separate committees formed by the Centre and Punjab to hold its hands off on their inquiry till it hears a plea for probe on Monday.

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Hearing a petition filed by NGO 'Lawyers Voice' against the security breach, a bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli told the Director General of UT of Chandigarh and other top officers from various agencies, including the NIA and SPG, to render their help in collecting the records.

During the hearing, the Centre led by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta supported the petitioner for probe into the matter saying this was the rarest of rare issue which had potential to cause embarrassment to the country within the international community. This also had potential to cause cross-border terrorism. He also pointed out that a video had emerged from the banned terrorist organisation 'Sikh for Justice' giving a call for similar action seen on Wednesday.

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Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the petitioner, raised a question mark over the committee formed by the Punjab government to look into the matter.

Advocate General of Punjab D S Patwalia said the State was not joining the issue. "Any person can be appointed to investigate the matter, if there is lapse, the matter needs to be probed," he said.

On Wednesday, Modi's convoy remained stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters in Ferozepur. The incident forced the PM to cancel his rally and other events planned in poll-bound Punjab.

The plea alleged that the lapse in the security of the Prime Minister was occasioned clearly in connivance with the Punjab Police.

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