Social activist Nutan Thakur claimed that a reply filed by the Government in connection with her Public Interest litigation pointed that 830 persons besides those who were authorised have been provided security cover. Interestingly more than 20 percent of them get this service free of cost which costs several crore rupees to state exchequer.
According to Nutan Thakur, the counter affidavit of the State government, signed by Ajay Kumar Singh, DSP, Security Wing pointed that currently 830 persons beyond the authorised list have been awarded security by the State Government. Out of these unauthorised persons, 170 have been awarded security free of cost while 650 have been awarded security on payment, she claimed. As per the affidavit, the total expenditure on these persons beyond authorised list comes at Rs. 4.83 crore. Of this Rs. 3.00 crore has been recovered while Rs. 1.83 crore still needs to be recovered. The affidavit also gave name of many persons who have been granted security personnel even without any recommendation of the district security committee.
Nutan Thakur further said that displaying its displeasure over grant of security personnel to unauthorised persons, the Bench of Justice Imtiyaz Murtaza and Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya asked the Government that why rest of the moneyhas not been recovered, ordering that this money shall be recovered in 15 days. The High Court said that in case the recovery is not made, the SSP/SP will be held liable for the same.
The Court also said that in all those cases where security was provided without the recommendation of district security committee, the State government shall present the copy of the Court order, if any on which the security was provided and in all other cases, the security must be withdrawn immediately. Nutan claimed that while she is asked to file rejoinder in the matter, the court directed the State government to file reply under signature of the Principal Secretary (Home). The next date of hearing has been fixed on 02 December.