High Court Rejects Harbhajan Singh's Plea on Security Withdrawal, Cites Prior Threat Assessment
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has declined to interfere with the Punjab government's order withdrawing the security cover provided to Rajya Sabha MP and former cricketer Harbhajan Singh. A bench of Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya held that protests outside his residence and posters branding him a 'traitor' after his exit from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) do not establish a threat to his life and liberty.
The court observed that the decision to withdraw the security cover was taken by a review committee much before Singh left the party, and therefore cannot be termed abrupt or retaliatory. 'The protests outside his residence or his being branded a traitor would not establish threat to his life and liberty ipso facto. The protest was not violent either,' Justice Dahiya noted.
The bench further noted that Singh has already been provided 'Y+' category security through the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Additionally, the Punjab government has undertaken to provide security through local area deployment whenever Singh is in the state. 'In view thereof, no further direction needs to be issued and the petition stands disposed of,' the bench ordered.
Harbhajan Singh had challenged the Punjab government's April 25, 2026 order withdrawing his security cover, arguing that it was arbitrary and carried out without a fresh threat assessment or prior notice. He claimed that the cover, granted in May 2022, was withdrawn soon after he announced his exit from the AAP on April 24, 2026, alleging political vendetta.
His counsel, advocate Harpreet S Multani, submitted that Singh had been provided security comprising around 25 Punjab Police personnel while he was in the AAP. After his exit, the cover was withdrawn overnight, leaving him vulnerable. The counsel pointed to protests outside his Jalandhar residence and posters calling him a 'gaddar/traitor' as evidence of persistent threat.
Opposing the plea, the Punjab government submitted that the withdrawal followed a threat assessment by the Security Review Committee on March 3, 2026, well before Singh quit the AAP. Referring to an affidavit by the Assistant Inspector General of Police (Security), the government stated that no specific threat was reported by any participating wing regarding Singh. It also noted that Singh's engagements in Punjab were limited and he predominantly stays outside the state.
Accordingly, the Commissioner of Police, Jalandhar, was directed to provide security through local deployment, while existing security personnel were withdrawn. The government added that under security protocol, deployment beyond Punjab's territorial jurisdiction is ordinarily granted only for 72 hours. It further stated that Singh has been provided 'highly specialised Y+ category security cover through CRPF' by the Ministry of Home Affairs from May 4, 2026, and that his security concerns during visits to Punjab will be addressed through local deployment as required.
After hearing arguments, the bench concluded that the decision to withdraw security was taken before Singh's AAP exit and thus cannot be considered abrupt or retaliatory. The petition was disposed of with no further directions.
