The Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to forthwith remove the security cover provided to people in whose favour no recommendation has been made regarding threat perception.
The order was passed by the court's Lucknow Bench comprising justices Imtiyaz Murtaza and Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya on a PIL filed by social activist Nutan Thakur.
The bench said that an affidavit was filed annexing district-wise statement regarding security being provided on payment and free of charge.
"The said statement reveals that a sum of more than Rs 1.82 crore is outstanding against those who have been provided security by the state on charges," it observed.
"We accordingly direct that the aforesaid amount shall be recovered from the persons against whom it is outstanding, within 15 days. Any failure in recovery of the said amount shall be construed to be failure on the part of the SP/SSP concerned," it said.
The court said that there were instances where security to certain persons was provided by the state even in the absence of any recommendation regarding threat perception by the committee constituted to evaluate the same as per the relevant the government orders.
"We fail to understand as to how in the absence of recommendation of the committee for providing security by the state certain persons have been provided the same.
"The government is, therefore, directed to look into the matter and forthwith remove the security cover provided to such persons, in whose favour no recommendation has been made regarding threat perception, by the committee," it directed.
