Former PM, Manmohan Singh loses SPG cover

New Delhi, Aug 26: Former prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh's Special Protection Group (SPG) cover has been withdrawn.

The decision to withdraw the security cover was taken after the latest reassessment.

This decision as taken following a review involving the Cabinet Secretariat and Ministry of Home Affairs, which has been taking inputs from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) on this issue.

The withdrawal of the SPG cover for Dr Singh would mean that the elite force would now only protect Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.

With the burden on the security and exchequer getting heavier, the government had decided to review the security cover to former prime ministers and their family members.

The move is aimed at reducing the burden on the special protection group or SPG. The SPG which was set up in 1985 is tasked with protecting the Prime Minister, former prime ministers and their families.

The decision is taken based on the threat perception to each of these persons.