Lagatar24 desk
New Delhi, Oct 31: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought a comprehensive affidavit from the Centre assuring it would address security concerns at the private residence of former BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, a ‘Z category’ protectee. The court was informed by the central government that a security review of Swamy’s private house, where he would be residing after vacating the government-allotted bungalow, has been undertaken, reports the Economic Times
The senior politician – a former Rajya Sabha member – would get whatever he is entitled to as a ‘Z category’ protectee residing in a private space, the government said.
The Centre’s lawyer said “skeletal security” has been provided at Swamy’s private residence and the “main guard would move along with him” from the government bungalow.
If there is no place to set up adequate infrastructure such as a guard room six security personnel would be placed on rotation basis at Swamy’s private house, the lawyer said.
“The day he intimates us, the entire set up will move to his new house,” the lawyer said.
The government’s response was to Swamy’s claim that in spite of an earlier assurance, the Centre is yet to make adequate security arrangements at his private accommodation.
“Whatever his entitlement is, he will get it. Whatever the standard procedure is for private spaces,” the Centre’s lawyer told the court as he claimed that a “compliance affidavit” has been filed in the matter.
Justice Yashwant Varma, however, questioned the Centre over the absence of infrastructure facilities at the private residence as well as when the arrangements would be put in place and how it would “rotate six guards”.
The lawyer said that he would put Centre’s stand in relation to court’s queries on an affidavit.
He stated that “it is better that I put everything on the affidavit. Because for us to provide such guard rooms to each and every private individual…”. The court, however, said, “He is not every private individual, he is an individual to whom you have granted Z category.”
