The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been entrusted with the task of safeguarding the former railway minister under the UPA regime, official sources said.
"A contingent of armed CRPF commandos will take charge of the new protectee in the next few days. Roy will have about three to four commandos with him, whenever he is in West Bengal," a senior official said.
He said a threat analysis report, prepared by central intelligence and security agencies, favoured granting of such a cover to Roy.
Recently, the higher category of 'Z' cover of CRPF commandos was extended by the Centre to newly appointed special representative on Kashmir, Dineshwar Sharma.
Roy, a founder member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), was inducted into the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) yesterday. He had resigned from the Rajya Sabha and quit the TMC earlier this month.
The former TMC ledaer was suspended from the party for six years for indulging in alleged anti-party activities after he announced that he would quit the party.