IAS, PCS officers, singers lose security

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, March 30

After politicians, the Punjab Government has pruned the security cover of more than 12 senior bureaucrats. The fresh list also includes former Army Chief General JJ Singh, who contested unsuccessfully against Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh; singers; a couple of journalists; advocates; hoteliers; and political appointees attached with the previous Chief Minister.

Sources said several officers on plum posts during the SAD-BJP government were availing security more than the prescribed norm of two to four guards, depending on the seniority and the position held. Some were allocated separate gunmen on account of a “friendly courtesy” by local police officers and district police heads.

Around 150 policemen attached with VIPs have been asked “to report to battalions concerned today, i.e., March 30, 2017”, says an official letter.

On top of the list with heavy security is senior IAS officer Jagpal Singh Sandhu, Election Commissioner, Nagar Nigam and Panchayat. He had 10 armed men. Now, seven men have been withdrawn. Sandhu, a 1983-batch officer, held the Home Department in the previous government.

Additional Chief Secretary (Social Security and Development of Women and Children) SK Sandhu, Special Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal and IAS officer KJS Cheema had seven gunmen each. They are left with three gunmen each. All three held important portfolios in the last government.

The security of Special Principal Secretary to former CM Sirra Karuna Raju, has been pruned from three gunmen to one. Senior IAS officers Rahul Tiwari, Kahan Singh Pannu, Sanjay Kumar and R Venkut Raman are left with one gunman each.

PCS officers, who have lost the security cover completely, include Uma Shanker Gupta, Karan Singh, Munish Kumar, Naazmen Singh, Navjot Kaur, Sanjeev Kumar and Rahul Gupta.

IAS officers left without a gunman are Bhupinder Singh, Ajoy Sharma, Arshdeep Singh Thind, Ashwani Kumar, Dilraj Singh and JM Balamurgam. A few of them are posted out of the state on inter-cadre deputation. But they continued to hold on to security men provided by the security wing of the Punjab Police during the previous government.

Other than bureaucrats, 67 self-styled VIPs — including politically appointed men, singers and some blue-eyed journalists of the previous ruling class — have lost their security cover. The security review shows that they don’t face threat.

These VIPs include Bhupinder Singh Dhillon, Principal Secretary to the former CM. His security has reduced from nine guards to just one.