Amar Singh's 'Z' security cover to stay till June 4

Lucknow, June 1 (UNI) Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court today ordered that the 'Z' category security to Samajwadi Party general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh be continued till June 4, when the case comes up for next hearing.

The court also stayed the 'Y' category security cover to SP leader and former transport minister Naresh Agarwal till June 4.

A vacation bench comprising Justices U K Dhawan and Ranvijay Singh passed this order on separate petitions filed by the two leaders.

Mr Singh had challenged the alleged move by the state government to strip him of the security cover due to ''politically motivated reasons.'' His counsel Virendra Bhatia said the government had provided him the security on the recommendation of the Centre after he received threats by terrorist organisations in 2004.

He maintained that the security cover to other leaders was not being withdrawn.

However, advocate general Jyotindra Mishra contended that there was no logic for the 'Z' security cover to Mr Singh and the same may be downgraded to 'X' category.

Mr Singh had been given 10 Cobra Commandos under the 'Z' category security cover.

UNI