New Delhi:
The Supreme Court today expressed surprise over former ministers getting security cover and questioned an ex-minister in Uttar Pradesh for seeking police protection.
"Can you get Y security just because you are an ex-minister? We are unable to understand," a bench of justices Gyan Sudha Misra and Madan B Lokur asked Ramveer Upadhyay, a minister in the previous Mayawati government who was stripped of his security when the Samajwadi Party came to power in Uttar Pradesh.
The bench refused to pass any order on the plea of Mr Upadhyay, saying that he should file an application before the Allahabad High Court before whom his case pertaining to police protection is pending.
The bench, however, said that it would hear his case and would like the assistance of counsel of the Uttar Pradesh government on June 5 to ascertain the type of threat perception faced by Mr Upadhyay,a BSP leader.
Mr Upadhyay was given Y security cover during the Mayawati regime but that was withdrawn by the present Samajwadi Party government which only provided an armed constable to him for his protection.
Senior advocate UU Lalit, appearing for the ex-minister, contended that his client was attacked six times in the past and needed protection. He further argued that that security was withdrawn because of a change of government in the state.
The bench, however, said that it cannot pass any order without hearing the view of the state government and posted the matter for hearing on June 5.