Maharashtra govt assures HC of reviewing former MLA Zeeshan Siddique’s scaled-down security amid threats from extortionists

Baba Siddique, a former state minister and MLA, was shot dead on October 12 last year by three assailants outside his son Zeeshan’s office in Bandra (East).

A bench of Justices Ajey S Gadkari and Ranjitsinha R Bhonsale was hearing a plea filed by Shehzeen Siddique, widow of the late leader, seeking a court-monitored SIT probe into the murder.

The plea alleged that Zeeshan Siddique, who was identified as the primary target in the chargesheet, had his security reduced despite the threats.

During the earlier hearing on December 11, the bench had sought the minutes of the meeting of the Threat Perception Committee (TPC), which evaluates security threats.

Advocate General (AG) Milind Sathe for state government on Tuesday told the HC that Siddique’s protocol will be re-evaluated by the TPC which includes the Commissioner of Police and four senior officers as per established norms.
Sathe said the panel takes a decision on “circulation basis” in which the members do not need to meet but they circulate their decision across the members for review.

He said that a review of threat perception for Zeeshan Siddique was undertaken in April this year before the present petition was filed and reasons from scaling down his security were given by concerned authorities.

AG Sathe added that though TPC had decided to reduce Siddique’s cover to one policeman, the Mumbai Police Commissioner as head of the panel later enhanced it to two personnel.

The court then noted state government’s assurance of completing the threat perception review in connection with Siddique within 10 days and posted further hearing to January 13.

The HC said the petitioner can approach the vacation bench of the HC if the family was not satisfied with the review panel’s decision.