The Punjab and Haryana High Court, on Thursday, directed Chandigarh’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) for Security and Traffic, Sumer Pratap Singh, to appear in court next week. The court seeks an explanation for the contradictory reports concerning the threat level to a High Court judge following an alarming incident at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
In September 2024, a distressing event unfolded when a person snatched a firearm from the judge’s personal security officer (PSO) and used it to commit suicide at the Golden Temple. This incident triggered an immediate judicial review concerning the judge’s security.
The investigation into the incident was led by Haryana IPS Officer Manisha Chaudhary. In today’s hearing, she reported to the Division Bench, which includes Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sudhir Singh, that the event was unrelated to the judge. Based on her findings, a closure report was recommended.
However, the hearing took a turn when the court examined a separate report from the Chandigarh Police, enclosed in a sealed cover, which suggested an increased threat to the judge due to the same incident. The apparent discrepancy between the investigative report and the police statement led to the court questioning the coherence of the security assessments provided.
“The investigation indicates no link to the judge, yet your report escalates the threat level based on this incident. How do you reconcile these conflicting positions?” questioned the bench.
The representative for the Chandigarh Administration suggested a reevaluation of the threat scenario might be warranted and offered to collaborate with the Haryana police for a fresh assessment.
The court, puzzled by the possibility of retracting an official statement to the judiciary, highlighted concerns about the SSP’s inconsistent assertions and questioned the coordination between the officer and other security agencies.
