india

Updated: Aug 14, 2020 02:15 IST

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who gave cops a slip last week to reach the house of arrested retired police officer-turned activist SR Darapuri, violated three counts of security norms, the Central Reserve Police Force said in a statement on Monday.

The statement also rebutted Priyanka Gandhi who had accused Uttar Pradesh police officer Abhay Mishra of entering the place in Lucknow where she was staying without permission and alleged a breach in protocol.

CRPF provides Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Z-plus category security after the government withdrew the Gandhi family’s security cover by the Special Protection Group in November.

The Congress leader’s office had complained that Abhay Mishra got into an altercation with CRPF officers on her detail over her programme and threatened not to let her take even “two steps” out of the premises.

The CRPF statement said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s programme for 28 December had been shared with UP Police a day earlier but there was only one engagement - a visit to the Congress office in Lucknow for the party’s foundation function - was mentioned.

“On 28 December, Abhay Mishra, circle officer Hazaratganj at around 8 am visited the place of stay to enquire about the detailed programme of the day of the protectee which was not communicated by the personal staff. There was no breach in security by the official,” the statement by CRPF’s Inspector General Pankaj Kumar Singh said in a clean chit to the UP police officer.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s visit to UP state capital Lucknow turned controversial on Saturday after she attempted to visit the house of a retired IPS officer SR Darapuri who had been arrested during the protests against the citizenship law on December 20.

Priyanka Gandhi’s vehicle was stopped by the police when she was on the way, reportedly because she was not following the “prescribed” route. She gave the police a slip, and according to a local Congress leader, walked for a few km and rode pillion on a scooty with a state Congress leader. She did eventually reach Darapuri’s house.

In her statements to the media later, Priyanka Gandhi had later complained that a cop had also caught her by the neck to stop her. Another, she said, had pushed her.

Monday’s unusual statement by the CRPF about security to a protectee also counted three security violations. The ride on a scooty was one of them.

“Unscheduled movement of the protectee without intimation as such ASL (advanced security liaison) could not be conducted. during travelling. The protectee used non-BR (bullet-resistant) civil vehicle without PSO (personal security officer. The protectee took a lift in scooty as a pillion rider,” the CRPF statement said.

Despite these security constraints, appropriate security cover was provided by CRPF during the visit, the statement said, adding that such security violations are communicated to the protectee and are advised for ensuring proper security arrangements.