The Supreme Court ordered the Ministry of Home Affairs to give Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries, and his family the highest degree of Z+ security cover when they are in India and travelling outside of the country. The court ruled that they are responsible for covering the whole expense of providing the greatest degree of protection.
Details about Supreme Court orders Z-plus security for the Ambani family in India and overseas
The Ambanis informed the top court through their attorney Mukul Rohatgi that they had received the highest degree of security protection due to the ongoing threat perception as determined by the Mumbai Police and the MHA.
The family asserted that they were constantly at risk of being targeted in order to financially destabilise the country, and that such concerns existed not just in India but also when they travelled abroad. The Supreme Court ruled in their favour today, stating that they should be granted Z+ security.
Mukesh Ambani is the tenth richest person in the world, according to Forbes, with $82.6 billion.
The Supreme Court issued its judgement in response to a federal government petition challenging the Tripura High Court’s decision to hear the public interest litigation against the Ambanis’ security cover in Mumbai.
Last year, the Tripura High Court instructed the Centre to place the original dossier maintained by the MHA regarding Mukesh Ambani, his wife Nita Ambani, and their children – Akash, Anant, and Isha – on the basis of which security had been issued to them.
The Centre appealed the HC’s judgement in the Supreme Court in June last year, which stayed the order and directed the MHA to continue proving protection to the Ambani family in Mumbai.
Today, the apex court observed that it was of the considered judgement that “where there is a security threat, the security cover supplied and that too at own expense of the respondents, cannot be restricted to a certain region or place of residence”.
“Looking into the commercial activities of defendants nos. 2 to 6 (Ambanis) both within and beyond the country, the whole purpose of providing security cover would be frustrated if it is limited to a specific place or area,” the court stated.
Mukesh Ambani and his family will be shielded by 55 people under Z+ security, including 10 NSG commandos and police officers.
