HC directs Maha govt to submit report based on which security cover for MP was reduced

Bombay High Court, File Photo/PTI

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Maharashtra government to produce the report based on which it decided to reduce the security cover for MP Rajan Vichare, belonging to Uddhav Thackeray's faction of the Shiv Sena.

A division bench of Justices A S Gadkari and P D Naik sought the government's reply within two weeks to the petition filed by the Lok Sabha member seeking restoration of his security cover claiming that there is a threat to his family.

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The bench also directed Vichare to delete the names of Maharashtra's Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as party respondents in the plea.

"You have impleaded them (Shinde, Fadnavis) in personal capacity. How is Article 226 maintainable while making ministers respondents in individual capacity?" the court said.

While Shinde is a dominant Sena figure in Thane, Vichare is aligned with the Thackeray camp.

In his plea filed through advocate Nitin Satpute, Vichare had claimed that one of the two constables deployed for his security was removed in October last year. Alleging danger to the lives of his family members, Vichare said that his security cover ought to be reinstated.

Public prosecutor Aruna Kamat Pai on Tuesday told the court that Vichare's security cover has been reduced and not completely removed.

"Earlier it was two policemen during the day and two during night. It has been reduced, not removed as he is claiming," she said.

The bench directed Pai to put the government's contention on an affidavit and also submit the report based on which this decision was taken.

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