New Delhi: The Supreme Court today halted the Tripura High Court's summoning of Home Ministry officials over a petition against central security cover to the Ambani family. Questioning the High Court's remit to hear the public interest litigation filed by an activist, the Centre has argued in the Supreme Court that security to one family cannot be an issue of public interest.
The High Court had summoned the officials for yesterday but could not hear the case because judges were unavailable, the Centre informed the Supreme Court today.
The central government had earlier told the High Court that Mukesh Ambani has Z+ security and his wife Nita Ambani has Y+, for which they pay; but their three children do not have any such cover from the central government. The High Court, however, sought the original file on threat perception and assessment, in an order on the petition by a man named Bikash Saha.
The central government then went to the Supreme Court and said the petitioner is "just a meddlesome interloper" and the petition is "misconceived, frivolous and motivated".
Security to the Ambanis has been given on recommendation of the Maharashtra government, so the Tripura High Court has no reason to hear such a petition, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court on Monday.
"Mukesh Ambani, his wife, and children, admittedly are residents of Mumbai, and the place where the decision on whether to provide them with security or not was taken, is New Delhi. Therefore, the territorial jurisdiction of the state of Tripura was completely alien to the subject matter," the Centre said.