HC orders removal of Punjab Police personnel from judge’s security

Less than a fortnight after a “miscreant” committed suicide by seizing the firearm of a personal security officer assigned to a sitting judge, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the removal of Punjab Police personnel from the security duties.

In a major embarrassment for the Punjab Police, the court at the same time ordered the deployment of a “neutral police force” for security in its place.

“The personnel manning security of the Judge within and outside Chandigarh shall immediately be changed from Punjab Police to police personnel belonging to either UT Administration or the State of Haryana,” the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Anil Kshetarpal asserted.

In its detailed order, the Bench asserted that investigation was within the State’s exclusive domain. But threat perception had to be assessed as perceived by the Judge. It was well known that large-scale lapses on investigating agencies’ part in the State of Punjab were exposed by judicial orders passed by the Judge during the past “12/24 months”.

“This court, thus, deems it appropriate that the security personnel dealing with security of the Judge ought not to be members of Punjab police force, but either of UT Administration or of State of Haryana. The deployment of a neutral police force, but not of State of Punjab, for securing the movement of the Judge shall certainly assuage the feeling of insecurity perceived by the Judge,” the Bench added.

The Bench also called upon the UT Administration and the State of Haryana to suggest appropriate investigating officers, not below the rank of Superintendent of Police of a district to conduct investigation. “Let UT Administration/Haryana Police comply with this direction and file compliance report before next date of hearing,” the Bench added.

The Division Bench had initially asserted suo motu cognizance of the matter was taken by the high court on the basis of news-items published on September 22 in ‘The Tribune’ and another newspaper.

The Bench asserted that the reports were regarding the incident that took place on Sunday at Golden Temple, Amritsar, “when a miscreant pulled out the firearm of a PSO of sitting judge of this court and committed suicide by shooting himself”.