Jagdeep Dhankhar asked MHA for new bulletproof vehicles last Feb; put on hold, he went with regular Innova

 

 

In February last year, the Vice-President’s Secretariat sought new bulletproof vehicles for then V-P Jagdeep Dhankhar, citing the age of his three high-security BMW cars. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) conveyed in June that a panel would be formed to look into it, but by November, his office decided to opt for a non-bulletproof Innova, in which he has been travelling ever since, The Indian Express has learnt.

 

Dhankhar announced on July 22 that he was stepping down from his post as Vice-President, citing health reasons. According to sources, on February 28 last year, a letter was sent from the V-P’s Secretariat to the Additional Secretary (Police Modernisation Division), MHA, regarding the condition of his official vehicles. In his communication, the then deputy secretary in the V-P’s Secretariat wrote, “I have been directed to inform you that three bulletproof BMW High Security vehicles have been provided to the Hon’ble Vice President of India for using the same during his day-to-day movement. Out of the three vehicles, two vehicles have become more than six years old, while the third one is almost four years and five months old, which will also become more than five years old in the next couple of months.” “It has been further directed to get all three vehicles replaced with bulletproof high-security new vehicles.

 

It is requested to get the process of replacement of three vehicles initiated at the earliest,” it states. According to sources, before this, a similar letter had been sent to the security division of Delhi Police, which clarified that procurement of vehicles is handled by the MHA. In response to the February 28 letter, an under-secretary in the MHA wrote to the V-P’s Secretariat on June 12, 2024, that they were forming a board of officers to inspect the three vehicles in question. For this, they had nominated six officers, including two from the NSG, and one from the CRPF, who have expertise in technical issues involved in bulletproof vehicles, the under-secretary wrote. The Vice-President gets Z-plus security cover provided by Delhi Police.

 

On November 28, an internal communication issued by Delhi Police stated the V-P’s Secretariat had changed Dhankhar’s bulletproof vehicles since their “life term of five years” was over. The new vehicle was an Innova, while the spare vehicle was a Fortuner, and neither was bulletproof, it noted. It is learnt that the V-P’s OSD and Secretary were told these vehicles are not bulletproof and if required, such vehicles could be sought from Delhi Police, but this was turned down. Queries sent to the Vice-President’s Secretariat, an MHA spokesperson, the Special Commissioner of Police (security division) Jaspal Singh and Delhi Police spokesperson for a comment did not elicit a response.