Taking note of the fact that the Ambani family was paying for the security cover granted to them by the Centre, the Supreme Court on Friday gave a go ahead to the Centre to continue with the security cover provided to the Ambanis in Mumbai.
The order by a bench comprising Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli was in response to the Centre’s appeal challenging the Tripura High Court’s direction on a PIL challenging the grant of security cover to the industrialist and his family members.
The SC also quashed the Tripura HC order which was seeking details on security being provided by the central government to the Ambanis.
On June 29, the top court, in an interim order, had put a stay on the HC order wherein it had also directed the Central Government to depute a responsible officer to appear before the Court with the original record.
CJI Ramana questioned the petitioner’s counsel, “What is your locus and why are you bothered about the security? The government is there, they will take care. Why are you bothered? What is your locus? What is your concern? It’s somebody’s security.”
Representing the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated further proceedings before the HC on the PIL shall also be stayed as Tripura has nothing to do with the security of individuals provided in Mumbai. He added if the proceedings are not stayed, he will have to knock on the doors of the top court again.
Moreover, Senior Advocate Harish Salve called the petition “unfortunate” sharing that the Ambani family was fully paying for the security cover granted by the Central Government.
“They have employed 4-5 million people, this is the kind of protection which is this. If the government feels that they deserve security and is to be given. This kind of slander which is given is bad… when court starts entering it its very bad,” he submitted.
Meanwhile, the Tripura HC on a PIL filed by one Bikash Saha had passed two interim orders on May 31 and June 21, instructing the Centre to place the original file maintained by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding threat perception and assessment report of Ambani, his wife and children based on which security has been granted to them.
The government has informed that ‘Z’ category security was given to Mukesh Ambani in 2013 and ‘Y ‘ category CRPF cover was given to Nita Ambani in 2016.
