Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will not enjoy Special Protection Group cover henceforth. The withdrawal comes into effect after the Central Armed Police Forces takes over the responsibility. The CAPF will continue to give him Z-plus security.
New Delhi: The Centre has withdrawn Special Protection Group (SPG) services offered to former prime minister Manmohan Singh.
The decision was taken after a three-month review involving the Cabinet Secretariat and the Ministry of Home Affairs with inputs from various intelligence agencies. However, the former PM will continue to get Z-plus security, officials said on Monday.
Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), preferably the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will continue to give him Z-plus security cover, they said.
The home ministry official said that the SPG contingent will be withdrawn from his New Delhi residence after one of the CAPFs take over the responsibility.
"The current security cover review is a periodical and professional exercise based on threat perception that is based on professional assessment by security agencies. Singh continues to have Z-plus security cover," a home ministry spokesperson said.
Currently, only Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her children, Rahul and Priyanka receive SPG cover.
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