On Thursday, 23rd January, the Punjab Police alleged that they had been forced to withdraw the additional security provided to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal. They claimed that the Delhi Police and the Election Commission of India had issued them the orders to do so ahead of the Delhi state assembly elections scheduled to take place on 5th February this year.
The Punjab Police claimed that they constantly get reports of threats to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and that they share such reports with concerned agencies, however, now they have withdrawn a component of security from Kejriwal’s security detail.
Responding to these claims, the Delhi Police clarified that no security component for Kejriwal was withdrawn. “We’ve just taken over the charge. He already has been provided with Z+ security with 63 personnel by Delhi officials,” the officer from Delhi Police said.
“Occasionally, we get reports of threats to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal and share them with the concerned agencies. Today, after the Delhi Police’s intervention following the directions of the Election Commission, we have withdrawn Punjab security from Arvind Kejriwal’s security cover. We will continue to share inputs with Delhi Police,” Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav from Punjab Police was quoted as saying.

Yadav also claimed that they showed their concerns to the Delhi Police and the Election Commission but eventually had to withdraw the security component. The decision sparked political outrage with AAP alleging that the security was deliberately withdrawn and BJP saying that the orders by the Delhi Police and the Election Commission were administrative decisions taken by the government forces.
The DGP further added that both Mann and Kejriwal had Punjab’s Z+ security protection, but following the concerns raised by the Delhi Police, a component of security was withdrawn. The Punjab Police tried to blame the Delhi Police for ‘forcing’ them to withdraw Kejriwal’s security.
Delhi Police: One person cannot have two special securities by law
However, Delhi Police confirmed the matter and revealed the exact reason behind issuing such orders. It said that it was capable enough to protect the leader and the elections and that no other state security was permitted to protect the leader ahead of the elections.
“He (Kejriwal) continues to be a Z+ protectee of Delhi Police,” said one of the Delhi Police officers to the media. Another officer from Delhi police said, “It is a rule that if anyone has a special category of security from any specific state police, the state police giving the security cover has to inform the other state’s police that the person has a threat perception. The moment a new state’s police takes charge of the person’s security, the earlier security cover returns to its parental state.”
“We have not withdrawn Kejriwal’s security cover. We’ve just taken over the charge of his security from Punjab police. It is by the law. Why would we allow Punjab police personnel to give security cover to a person, for whose security we are more competent?” he added.
“Z+ security” refers to the highest level of security provided to individuals in India, typically including a large team of highly trained security personnel, often including NSG commandos, to protect high-profile individuals facing significant threats, essentially the second highest level of security after SPG protection for the Prime Minister; it usually consists of a security detail of around 55 personnel with advanced vehicles and close surveillance.
Delhi Police said that the rules set out by the Union Home Ministry did not allow a person to have special security from two states. The officials also added that Kejriwal already had security of 63 personnel from Delhi Police.
Matter was raised by BJP who saw Punjab security vehicles roaming in Delhi
The Delhi Police on January 6th had written to the Punjab Police to reveal the details of the movement of security of Punjab leaders well in advance, who would come to Delhi for election campaigning ahead of the polls and also for Republic Day. The Delhi Police said that they had been maintaining tight schedules and monitoring things closely in the wake of the upcoming Republic Day parade. It also said that despite written communications, they were not being informed about the police presence from other states, including Punjab.
Notably, on 18th January, the Punjab Police said that it would provide all the details of security accompanying the Punjab leaders while they travel to Delhi. The issue was again politically raised when BJP leader Parvesh Verma, the opponent of Kejriwal in one of the Delhi seats stated that the AAP leaders were calling people from Punjab. “Thousands of vehicles with Punjab registration plates were roaming around in Delhi,” the BJP leader said.
Kejriwal accuses Delhi Police of ‘attack’
It is crucial to note that Delhi supremo Arvind Kejriwal accused the Delhi Police on Thursday, 23d January saying that it allowed the opposition candidate’s men to enter his public meeting and attack his car. “Today in Hari Nagar, the police allowed the opposition candidate’s men to enter my public meeting and then attacked my car. All this is happening on the orders of Amit Shah. Amit Shah has made the Delhi Police the personal army of the BJP. Big questions are being raised on the Election Commission that the national president of a national party and its leaders are being constantly attacked and the Election Commission is unable to take any effective action,” he said in an exclusive tweet.

He also accused Home Minister Amit Shah of furthering the attack. He meanwhile also said that the Delhi Police was ‘the personal army of BJP’, showing complete mistrust of the Delhi authorities working rigorously to provide Z+ security to the leader. Amid this, he also alleged the Election Commission of taking no action in the matter.
A week ago also, Kejriwal had made similar claims saying that his convoy was attacked during a door-to-door campaign in the New Delhi constituency. The party released a video purportedly showing a stone landing on Arvind Kejriwal’s vehicle. The video also showed people waving black flags next to the convoy, which AAP claimed was part of a deliberate attempt to disrupt the election campaign of the AAP leader. However, the BJP later stated that the car in which Kejriwal was campaigning had hit two people during the campaign.
AAP’s Sanjay Singh spread misinformation saying security had been ‘withdrawn’
Meanwhile, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh attempted to spread fake news claiming that the Delhi police had ‘forcibly’ withdrawn Kejriwal’s additional security and that there was a threat to Kejriwal’s life. “Today Delhi Police forcibly removed Kejriwal’s Punjab Police security. Right now there is a meeting of Kejriwal at J Block Kali Bari Marg, goons are already present there with sticks and rods, I am reaching there. Where is the Election Commission?” he asked, again showing mistrust in Delhi Police which is providing Z+ security to Kejriwal already.

The Delhi Police eventually denied these allegations and stated that the security had not been withdrawn but taken over by another state police. “We have not withdrawn Kejriwal’s security cover. We’ve just taken over the charge of his security from Punjab police. It is by the law,” the Delhi Police states.
“The deployment of security personnel from another state is legally restricted to a maximum duration of 72 hours. Even within this timeframe, prior approval must be obtained from DCP Security to ensure compliance with established protocols. Extending security arrangements from another state beyond 72 hours is deemed legally inappropriate,” the police said.
Conclusion
Kejriwal has a history of showing mistrust in the Delhi Police. A few days ago, he accused that the police prevented the screening of a documentary exposing the ‘secrets’ and ‘conspiracies’ behind the arrest of his party leaders. However, later the Delhi Police said that no permission was sought by the leaders for the screening event given Model Code Conduct in force ahead of the Delhi State polls scheduled on 5th February.
The AAP leader’s constant allegations on the Delhi Police of highlight also his suspicion about the security arrangements led by the authorities to protect his life. He was issued Z+ security by Delhi Police in 2015. Despite this, he made alleged attempts to get security from the Punjab Police claiming threats. If he has this level of mistrust in the Delhi Police, why doesn’t the administration look into probably discontinuing the Z+ security for the leader?
The Punjab Police also claimed that Delhi Police ‘forced’ them to withdraw the additional security. However, the Delhi Police stated that the leader already had Z+ security and that it was more capable and competent than the Punjab Police to ensure the protection of the leader.