Mukesh Ambani's Z-category security under threat, PIL filed

Mumbai, July 3: Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani's security has come under threat. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay High Court questioning the 'Z' security provided to the business tycoon of the country.

Union Home Minister appointed Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), country's leading anti-Naxal operations force, to take care of Ambani's security.

Questioning the home ministry's decision, Nitin Deshpande and Vikrant Karnik, two activists from Vikhroli, filed the PIL in high court. The petitioner urged the court to cancel the "unauthorised sanction" granted by the central government on April 21.

Headed by chief justice Mohit Shah, a division bench is likely to hear the PIL on Aug 8. The PIL mentioned that "high-risk" individuals have been provided security by government.

The PIL also says that an individual is granted X (two personnel), Y (11), Z (26) and Z+ (38 personnel) security depending on the threat perception.

Here what the PIL says regarding Ambani's Z category security:

Z security is provided by Delhi Police or ITBP or CRPF and there is an escort car.

In recent years, the concept and intention of providing special forces to selected personalities is getting polluted. Special forces are now allotted to influential politicians and celebrities who use this privilege as a status symbol.

The Centre has no authorisation under any applicable law to provide military or paramilitary forces, including CRPF, for protection of private individuals such as respondent 2 (Ambani).

The service of CRPF is required only in situations such as a national emergency, terrorist attacks, internal disturbances and riots which are beyond the control of local police. It was neither intended nor there is any provision under CRPF Act and CRPF Rules for providing security to private individuals such as respondent 2.

Earlier it was reported that Central security agencies had conducted a security and threat analysis which recommended that Ambani should be provided round-the-clock armed security cover after which the Home Ministry issued the orders.

Under the 'Z' category security, Ambani have a pilot and follow-on vehicles with commandos armed with sophisticated weapons and they give him proximate security every time he moves in Mumbai or any other part of country.

OneIndia News