Kolkata, Nov 12 (IANS) The hearing on the petition from Trinamool Congress General Secretary and the party’s Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha member, Abhishek Banerjee, seeking restoration of his “Z-Plus” security was completed at a single-judge vacation bench of the Calcutta High Court on Thursday.
However, the single-judge vacation bench of Justice Krishna Rao had kept the judgement on reserve.
Abhishek, also the nephew of the former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, had been enjoying the “Z Plus” security granted to him by the previous Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal led by his aunt since he became the Lok Sabha MP from Diamond Harbour for the first time in 2014.
However, after the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government came to power in the state, Abhishek Banerjee’s “Z-Plus” security was withdrawn and he was granted the security entitled to him as a Lok Sabha member as per protocol.
Recently, the Diamond Harbour MP approached the Calcutta High Court with the plea for restoration of his “Z-Plus” security apprehended lie threats considering that already some assassination attempts had been made on him in the recent past.
The hearing in the matter was completed on Thursday, and Justice Krishna Rao had reserved his judgment in the matter.
During the hearing on Thursday, Justice Rao raised questions about the state administration’s role in the state’s security review process and the subsequent allegations of multiple attacks.
The state government told the court that the decision on the category of security to be granted to anyone was their prerogative and it was not binding on the administration to explain its decisions in the matter.
Thereafter, Justice Rao said that while the court will not direct which category of security should be granted to whom, since the plaintiff claimed that there was an attack on him and his security requirements were not reviewed, the court could seek explanations in the matter.
Abhishek Banerjee’s Counsel then said that till the time the security requirements of his client were not reviewed, till that time “Z-Plus” security should be granted to him.
–IANS
src/khz
