Judge Indu Malhotra among lawyers receiving threat calls over probe in PM security breach case

PM Narendra Modi`s Punjab visit got cancelled due to security lapse. File Pic

Several Supreme Court lawyers, including Judge Indu Malhotra, who is leading the investigation in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security breach, received threat calls on Monday from various international numbers, allegedly from Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).

Lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, who last week also filed a complaint with the Delhi Police in this regard, again received threat calls on Monday.

Jain stated that he has received threat calls from the SFJ for filing complaints against them.

"They have further threatened the judges of SC. The pre-recorded calls, allegedly from the SFJ, reiterated its threat against Supreme Court lawyers that they will not allow SC to constitute a committee headed by retired SC judge Indu Malhotra to proceed with the inquiry into the PM's security breach in Punjab," he said in the complaint.

Other than Jain, Advocates Apoorv Shukla and Nishant Katneshwarkar have also received calls from international numbers with pre-recorded audio, threatening them for lodging complaints against SFJ.

Recently, the Delhi Police has registered the First Information Report (FIR) under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on the basis of lawyers' complaints stating that they have received calls threatening judges over the case related to Prime Minister's security lapse.

According to complainant lawyers, the FIR has been lodged under sections 153 (Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) read with 13,16,18 and 20 of UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act).

According to the Supreme Court Advocate-On-Record Association (SCAORA) letter, the calls were made allegedly by a pro-Khalistan organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).

The Supreme Court also recently set up a committee headed by a retired top court judge Justice Indu Malhotra to probe into the security lapse during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Punjab visit.

SFJ is a US-based secessionist group that supports the secession of Punjab from India and formation of Khalistan. Founded and primarily headed by one Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, it was banned in India in 2019 as an unlawful association.

(With inputs from ANI)