Govt fails to restore judge’s security

Judge Kode’s security was abruptly cut from Z category to Y category and his security guards reduced from 19 per shift to just five on March 8. Of the five security guards in Y category, only two accompany him while the rest are posted at his residence. Earlier, he had 19 guards of whom nine were guarding him while the rest were posted at his residence.

Scaling down the judge’s security had evoked sharp criticism following which the Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said that he would instruct the police commissioner to restore his security to Z category forthwith. However, the security personnel provided to the judge were drawn from special protection unit of Maharashtra police and the city police commissioner was not at all concerned with this aspect, the sources said.

Except his daily visits to the court, Judge Kode has nowcurtailed his movements outside home, the sources added. also urged the Centre to share atleast 50 per cent ofthe expenses incurred by the state on security measures. He said the state government had drawn a five-year plan to beef up security and modernise the police force which worked out to a little over Rs. 350 crore per annum.