The Indian Express: Chandigarh: Saturday, 19 November
2022.
As many as 20 people in Chandigarh were provided security cover of at least 57 police personnel in view of threat to their lives, the reply to an RTI query filed by The Indian Express has revealed.
The reply by the police department stated that 12 protectees out of 20 were provided security cover following inputs of various intelligence agencies and eight others were provided security on the orders of the Supreme Court and the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the last one year.
The intelligence agencies, which recommended the security cover for 12 vulnerable people, include Intelligence Bureau (IB), Punjab intelligence wing and CID wing of the Chandigarh Police. Sources said that the list of protectees includes businessmen, artists and witnesses in heinous crimes committed by dreaded criminals. The protectee people were provided the security cover of a minimum of two police personnel and a maximum of three police personnel.
Although the police declined to provide details of the protectees, it was said that 57 police personnel deployed in the security detail of 20 vulnerable people are from Special Security Branch and Security Wing. The reply stated, “At present, there are a total of 12 protectee persons with whom security has been provided on the basis of general threat apprehension reports received from various intelligence agencies.
Besides this, by the orders of Supreme Court of India and Punjab and Haryana High Court, total 8 protectee persons have been provided security by the security wing, Chandigarh Police. Total 57 police officials are deployed with 20 protectee persons from Security wing of Chandigarh police.”
“The threat perception is judged on various grounds, including a verification by the local intelligence wing. There are many instances when requests for the security cover were turned down and the provided security personnel were withdrawn,” said a senior police officer.
Significantly, 20 protectee people do not include elected political representatives, senior bureaucrats and others, who are entitled to receive security personnel as per protocol.
As many as 20 people in Chandigarh were provided security cover of at least 57 police personnel in view of threat to their lives, the reply to an RTI query filed by The Indian Express has revealed.
The reply by the police department stated that 12 protectees out of 20 were provided security cover following inputs of various intelligence agencies and eight others were provided security on the orders of the Supreme Court and the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the last one year.
The intelligence agencies, which recommended the security cover for 12 vulnerable people, include Intelligence Bureau (IB), Punjab intelligence wing and CID wing of the Chandigarh Police. Sources said that the list of protectees includes businessmen, artists and witnesses in heinous crimes committed by dreaded criminals. The protectee people were provided the security cover of a minimum of two police personnel and a maximum of three police personnel.
Although the police declined to provide details of the protectees, it was said that 57 police personnel deployed in the security detail of 20 vulnerable people are from Special Security Branch and Security Wing. The reply stated, “At present, there are a total of 12 protectee persons with whom security has been provided on the basis of general threat apprehension reports received from various intelligence agencies.
Besides this, by the orders of Supreme Court of India and Punjab and Haryana High Court, total 8 protectee persons have been provided security by the security wing, Chandigarh Police. Total 57 police officials are deployed with 20 protectee persons from Security wing of Chandigarh police.”
“The threat perception is judged on various grounds, including a verification by the local intelligence wing. There are many instances when requests for the security cover were turned down and the provided security personnel were withdrawn,” said a senior police officer.
Significantly, 20 protectee people do not include elected political representatives, senior bureaucrats and others, who are entitled to receive security personnel as per protocol.