PIL

VIP Security, A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and senior justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari of the Uttarakhand High Court has requested the state government to provide comprehensive information regarding individuals with pending criminal cases who have been granted security. The court has set a deadline of the second week of July to submit the required details. The request was made during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed on behalf of Khanpur MLA Umesh Kumar, seeking Y-plus security.

The PIL, filed by Haridwar resident Bhagat Singh, contends that MLAs are provided security guards under the pretext of safety measures. Additional security personnel are assigned if an MLA faces any potential threats. However, in Umesh Kumar’s case, it is alleged that the standard procedure, which involves the submission of a report by the local intelligence unit (LIU) to the police department, was not followed. The MLA was reportedly granted Y-plus security solely based on his application, despite having personal security and no apparent life-threatening risks.

The petitioner highlights the LIU’s report, which states that Umesh Kumar faces no threat to his life, and asserts that his Y-plus security should be revoked. Furthermore, the PIL questions the rationale behind providing police protection to individuals who are not in danger from anyone, emphasizing that such practices amount to the misuse of police resources. The primary responsibility of the police, as per the petitioner, is to safeguard the general public.

It is worth noting that the High Court has previously emphasized, in one of its orders, that the police’s duty is to protect individuals facing genuine threats to life and property, and security should only be granted after a thorough investigation.”

Focus Keywords: Uttarakhand High Court, government, security allocation, criminal cases, PIL, Khanpur MLA, Umesh Kumar, local intelligence unit, Y-plus security, police protection, public safety.

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