Pranab enjoyed security beyond Z-plus in US

New Delhi, Sept 28: Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, during his five day long visit to the US last week received a tighter security from US homeland security as there were some intelligence reports on threats from Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI) and Lashkar-e-Toiba supporters against him. The finance minister has an Z-plus category security in India.

During his stay in US, entire security in New York and Washington DC was provided by US as he did not take any security officer with him.

"I am told that there are some threat perceptions from Huji (Bangladesh) and a Pakistan-supported organisation. They informed me about my enhanced security arrangements," said Mukherjee during his return to New Delhi.

Sources said that Pranab was provided additional security officers and vehicles during his five day long stay. In a function at Washington DC, India's executive director to World Bank, Pulok Chatterjee was asked to take a different elevator. Economic affairs secretary R Gopalan was also stopped from entering Mukherjee's room.

During his press meet in New York, his officials had to take formal permission from the US homeland security. Mukherjee was also not allowed to have press interactions in the hotel corridor or outside and finally he had to organise the press interaction at his room.

OneIndia News