Secure all records, put probes on hold: SC direction on PM security breach
New Delhi/Chandigarh, Jan 7: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre and the state government to put on hold their probes into the security lapse during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Ferozepur visit and directed the high court registrar general to immediately secure all relevant records.
The directions by a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana came on a day when a Central team investigating the lapse visited Ferozepur, meeting officials responsible for the security arrangements for the PM's visit on Wednesday.
Sources in Punjab said the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has sent show cause notices to some police officials in the state.
Also, the Punjab government submitted a report to Centre, informing that an FIR has been registered against unidentified protesters.
The prime minister's convoy was stranded on a flyover for nearly 20 minutes on Wednesday due to a blockade by farmers in Ferozepur.
He then returned from poll-bound Punjab without attending the planned events, including a rally. The Centre had accused the state's Congress for the security breach and sought an immediate report from it.
The political slugfest over the incident continued on Friday with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar demanding that his Punjab counterpart Charanjit Singh Channi's government should be dismissed and President's Rule imposed in the state.
Both the Centre and the state have set up high-level committees into the lapse.
The Supreme Court has now asked them to put the probes on hold till Monday when it will next hear the petition.
Heard counsel for parties. Taking into consideration the arguments advanced, keeping in view that it pertained to the security of the prime minister and other issues... as first step, we deem it appropriate to direct Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court to secure records forthwith, the bench, also comprising justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, said in the order.
The apex court also directed the Punjab government, its police and other Central and state agencies to provide all relevant records immediately to the Registrar General.
The SC was hearing a plea by Lawyers' Voice' seeking a thorough investigation into the security breach.
The petition sought the preservation of evidence on security arrangements, a court-monitored probe and action against the erring Punjab government officials.
The three-member committee, constituted by the Union Home Ministry on Thursday, is seeking full details about the sequence of events that unfolded during Modi's Punjab visit, sources said.
The panel is led by Sudhir Kumar Saxena, Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat. It has Balbir Singh, Joint Director of the Intelligence Bureau and S Suresh, IG, Special Protection Group as two other members.
Amid foggy weather conditions, the team visited the Pyarayana flyover near Ferozepur on Friday morning and interacted with senior Punjab Police and administration officials.
.The team spent about 45 minutes at the flyover before heading to the BSF sector headquarters 10 km away. It was closeted there with senior officials who were directly responsible for ensuring a smooth passage for the PM's convoy.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Secretary Anirudh Tewari wrote to the Union Home Ministry on the security breach, giving the sequence of events and informing that an FIR has been lodged, sources said.
The state government also mentioned in the report that it has formed its own two-member panel to investigate the alleged lapses.
On Friday, BJP leaders continued to target the Channi government over the lapse while the Congress largely played down the incident.
Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu claimed that the BJP was ranting about the incident while trying to save itself from the humiliation over the thin attendance at the PM's rally venue.
In Uttar Pradesh Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav taunted, People and farmers of Punjab should have allowed the PM to reach the dais... he would have felt good on seeing the empty chairs.
Union minister Anurag Thakur questioned the silence of top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over the security lapse.
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi offered prayers at the Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai for the prime minister's well-being.
The deliberate criminal negligence during the visit of the world's popular and admired leader Narendra Modi has made the Congress a cowardly conspiracy clan, he charged.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
