The Centre has withdrawn the SPG cover given to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after a review by multiple security agencies, officials said on Monday.

Singh, who was the Prime Minister from 2004 and 2014, will continue to enjoy Z-plus security of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), preferably by the CRPF, the officials said.

'The current security cover review is a periodical and professional exercise based on threat perception that is purely based on professional assessment by security agencies. Dr. Manmohan Singh continues to have Z+ security cover,' a home ministry spokesperson said.

The decision to withdraw cover provided by the Special Protection Group (SPG), the highest grade of protection, was taken after a three-month review involving the cabinet secretariat and the home ministry with inputs from various intelligence agencies.

SPG cover will now be given only to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Gandhis -- Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka.

Written with PTI inputs