SPG and IB also responsible for PM's security breach: GK Pillai

Amid an ongoing mud-slinging between Union Home Ministry and Punjab government over security breach in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convoy, former Union Home Secretary GK Pillai on Saturday told ETV Bharat that the Special Protection Group (SPG) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) are also responsible for such security breach.

New Delhi: Amid an ongoing mud-slinging between Union Home Ministry and Punjab government over security breach in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convoy, former Union Home Secretary GK Pillai on Saturday told ETV Bharat that the Special Protection Group (SPG) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) are also responsible for such security breach.

"The responsibility of the security breach lies not only with the Punjab police but also with the SPG and IB. It's the IB and SPG who take the final call for the movement of the Prime Minister," said Pillai.

Pillai's statement is likely to bring the spotlight back on the SPG and IB following the fact that both the agencies are responsible to ensure safe movement of the Prime Minister. Till now, the responsibility for PM's security breach has been put on the Punjab police only.

"The very specific rules for PM's movement is laid down in the Blue Book manual. There is a major security lapse for which SPG is responsible. The IB should also be aware that there was a protest going on," said Pillai.

He said that IB should have kept close eye on the situation because it is them who give clearance for the PM to go by road. "Without IB's clearance, PM's car should not have moved ahead," added Pillai.

He said that it is not possible to move over 100 kilometers distance by road and without any disturbance, "because there are so many cross roads, interjunction and people can come out in the road at any place."

"But even assuming that it was decided to go by road, it was the responsibility of the Punjab police to make sure that roads are free for the Prime Minister," Pillai said.

Answering that the ongoing investigation can clear the picture on what went wrong, Pillai said, "there were obviously lapses on the part of the Punjab police."

"What I find more alarming is the fact that before Prime Minister's car, it is two pilot car that moves ahead of PM's car. The pilot car which was running one kilometer ahead, should have informed about the blockade so that PM's convoy can be stopped and revert back," Pillai clarified.

The former Home Secretary expressed shock that PM's car was halted on the fly over for 15-20 minutes.

"That is the bigger security lapse for which SPG is responsible. Because when the road is blocked, in 30 seconds or a minute, PM's car should have reversed and move back," added Pillai.

Stating that the ongoing investigation can clear the picture, Pillai said, "I don't know what were the details. However, prima facie evidence shows Punjab police, SPG and IB all are responsible."

He emphasized that there should have been other contingency plan during the movement of the Prime Minister.

"In this case, it's really shocking that there was no such contingency plan for which the Prime Minister was stranded on the fly over for a long time," Pillai said.