India removes Manmohan’s top security cover

The Indian government has withdrawn the Special Protection Group(SPG), the country's top security cover, for former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh following a review of threat perception by multiple security agencies, officials said today.

The decision to withdraw the SPG to Singh, who was the PM for a decade from May 2004, was taken after a three-month review involving the Cabinet Secretariat and the Home Ministry with inputs from various intelligence agencies, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

Singh will, however, continue to enjoy Z- plus security cover -- one of the highest -- to be given by one of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

"The current security cover review is a periodical exercise based on assessment of threat perception by security agencies. Dr. Manmohan Singh continues to have Z+ security cover," a Home Ministry spokesperson said.

With the removal of SPG cover from Singh, the top-notch security cover will now be given by the SPG only to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sonia Gandhi and her children Rahul and Priyanka.