Harbhajan Singh's Security Not Withdrawn Because He Left AAP, Protest Outside His House Branding Him 'Traitor' Not Threat: P&H High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has declined to interfere with the withdrawal of security cover extended to Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh, holding that protests outside his residence and posters branding him a "traitor" after he quit the Aam Aadmi Party would not, by themselves, establish a threat to his life and liberty.Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya said,"it cannot be said the petitioner's security cover has been withdrawn abruptly due to his leaving the party. The decision to withdraw had been taken by the Review Committee much earlier, which is not denied. The protests outside his residence or his being branded a traitor, would not establish threat to his life and liberty ipso facto."The Court further added that the protest was not violent either. Besides, Singh has already been provided 'Y+' category security through CRPF by the Ministry of Home Affairs and, in addition, the State Government has undertaken to take care of his security through local area deployment whenever he is in the State.The Court was hearing a writ petition filed by former cricketer Harbhajan Singh seeking to quash the order dated 25.04.2026, by which the Additional Director General of Police, Security, Punjab, had withdrawn his security cover, and seeking a mandamus directing its restoration on the ground that it had been withdrawn without any fresh threat assessment or opportunity of hearing.Singh, an elected Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, from Punjab, had been extended a security cover comprising about twenty-five police personnel while he was a member of the Aam Aadmi Party. He left the party on 24.04.2026 owing to political differences, and the very next day, his security cover was withdrawn by the impugned order.Singh's counsel contended that the withdrawal, coming a day after he quit the party, left him vulnerable at a time when protests were being held outside his residence in Jalandhar, with posters labelling him "gaddar/traitor" pasted outside his house — photographs of which were placed on record — demonstrating a persisting threat that could not justify an overnight withdrawal of cover.State counsel, relying on an affidavit dated 20.05.2026 sworn by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Security, Punjab, submitted that the withdrawal followed a threat assessment conducted by the Security Review Committee on 03.03.2026 , well before Singh left the ruling party (AAP), in which no specific threat to Singh had been reported by any participating wing. The affidavit further stated that Singh's engagements within Punjab, outside Jalandhar, were found to be very limited, and that he predominantly resided outside the State. Accordingly, the Commissioner of Police, Jalandhar was directed to look after his security through local deployment, and the existing personnel were withdrawn. It was also pointed out that under applicable security protocol, deployment of Punjab security personnel beyond the State's territorial jurisdiction can ordinarily be granted only for 72 hours.State counsel further submitted that Singh had already been extended a highly specialised 'Y+' category security cover through the Central Reserve Police Force pursuant to a Ministry of Home Affairs order dated 04.05.2026, and that whenever he visited Punjab, his security concerns would continue to be addressed through local area deployment based on threat assessment.The Court found that the decision to withdraw Singh's Punjab security cover had, undisputedly, been taken by the Security Review Committee on 03.03.2026 — significantly earlier than his exit from the party on 24.04.2026 — and could therefore not be characterised as an abrupt or retaliatory measure linked to his political moveHolding that no further direction was warranted in light of these circumstances, the Court disposed of the petition.Title: Harbhajan Singh v. State of Punjab and othersCounsel for the Petitioner: Mr. Harpreet S. Multani, Advocate, Mr. Harmanpreet S. Mander, Advocate, Mr. Ramaninder S. Jagal, Advocate, Ms. Kritika, Advocate and Mr. Amardeep Singh, AdvocateCounsel for the State of Punjab: Mr. Chanchal K. Singla, Additional Advocate General, Punjab, with Mr. Vikas Arora, Deputy Advocate General, Punjab, Ms. Medha Diwan, Advocate and Ms. Kavita Joshi, AdvocateCounsel for Respondent/UOI: Mr. Satya Pal Jain, Additional Solicitor General of India, with Ms. Saigeeta Srivastava, Senior Panel CounselClick here to read order

Harbhajan Singh's Security Not Withdrawn Because He Left AAP, Protest Outside His House Branding Him 'Traitor' Not Threat: P&H High Court

Aiman J. Chishti

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Aiman J. Chishti

Harbhajan Singh's Security Not Withdrawn Because He Left AAP, Protest Outside His House Branding Him 'Traitor' Not Threat: P&H High Court

Aiman J. Chishti

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Aiman J. Chishti

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