SC to hear plea by Centre against Tripura HC
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on June 28, a plea by the Centre against the Tripura High Court orders on a PIL challenging the grant of security cover to industrialist Mukesh Ambani and his family.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a vacation Bench of Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala that the High Court has no jurisdiction to entertain the PIL as the State Government has nothing to do with the security cover provided to the Ambanis by the Centre on the recommendation of the Maharashtra Government.
Mehta said he wants the appeal to be heard urgently as the High Court has asked Union Home Ministry officials to appear before it on Tuesday with original records concerning the threat perception to the Ambanis, and stated no more adjournment will be granted.
The Tripura High Court had on a PIL filed by one Bikash Saha had passed two interim orders on May 31 and June 21 and had directed the Central Government 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 Centre said that vide the said orders, the High Court has also directed the Central Government to depute a responsible officer to appear before the Court with the original record, in a sealed cover, on the next date of hearing on June 28, 2022, for consideration of the Court. The Centre said that while entertaining the PIL petition the High Court had failed to appreciate that Mukesh Ambani and his families were neither residents of Tripura nor any part of the cause of action remotely arising from Tripura existed.