In response to a notice issued by the Delhi High Court on a petition by former Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy seeking security arrangements at his private residence in the national capital, the Centre stated that security agencies are content that appropriate arrangements have been made to ensure the former Rajya Sabha MP’s safety, given that he is a Z category protectee.
“Security agencies are satisfied that appropriate arrangements have been made for ensuring the safety and security of former Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy, considering the fact that he is a Z category protectee,” the centre told Delhi High Court on the matter.
Security agencies are satisfied that adequate arrangements have been made to ensure safety of Subramanian Swamy, a Z category protectee: Central Government to Delhi High Court@Swamy39
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) November 3, 2022
This comes after former BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy filed a petition with the Delhi High Court on October 27 alleging that the Centre failed to provide proper protection at his private house in the national capital.
The case resulted as the six-week timeframe set by the Delhi High Court for him to vacate the government bungalow in Delhi’s Lutyens’ area to the estate officer expired last Thursday. Swamy’s attorney recently assured the court that custody of the government residence will be given over by Saturday.
Delhi HC directed Subramanian Swamy to vacate Govt accommodation within 6 weeks
The Delhi High Court ordered Swamy to evacuate the government bungalow within six weeks on September 14, and that period concluded on October 27. On the final day of the grace period, he petitioned the High Court for an extension of time to keep the bungalow. The plea appears to be Subramanian Swamy’s last-ditch attempt to keep occupying the government residence he was allocated in 2016.
Notably, in January 2016, the urban development ministry of the union government allotted a bungalow on Pandara Road in the Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone in Delhi to Subramanian Swamy on security grounds. Swamy was a private citizen at that time, but he was allotted the VVIP house based on threat perception.
Subramanian Swamy was nominated as a Rajya Sabha member in April 2016, and he continued to live in bungalow number AB-14 as an MP. His Rajya Sabha term ended in April this year, but he wanted to retain the house and approached the Delhi High Court seeking re-allotment of the bungalow. In his plea, he had said that it was originally allotted to him on security grounds, and he still faces threats due to his political activities.
The disgruntled BJP leader claimed that the type 7 bungalow should be re-allotted to him as he is a Z-category protectee and there are security guards that stay with him.
But the central govt opposed the plea, saying that the house has to be allocated to other ministers and MPs. Central Government’s Standing Counsel Asheesh Jain said that while Swamy’s Z-category security has not been downgraded, the question is on the bungalow, which was allotted for five years, and that term has expired.
After hearing the arguments, the High Court rejected the plea filed by Swamy on September 14 this year and ordered him to vacate the bungalow within 6 weeks. The court noted that Swamy owns a private residence in Nizamuddin East, and directed the govt to arrange for his security and safety there.
