Supreme Court To Hear Centre's Appeal Against Challenge To Ambanis' Security

The Supreme Court will on Tuesday hear the Centre's appeal against a petition challenging high-level Z+ security for industrialist Mukesh Ambani and his family in Mumbai.

The Tripura High Court had accepted a Public Interest petition challenging the Maharashtra government's security cover to the Ambanis. The Supreme Court will tomorrow hear the Centre's appeal against the High Court taking up the case at all.

"Security provided to one family cannot be an issue of public interest," the Centre said in its appeal before the Supreme Court.

The petition was filed by a person "who has no locus in the matter and is just a meddlesome interloper, claiming to be a social activist and student", said the appeal, calling the petition "misconceived, frivolous and motivated".

Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said security provided to the Ambanis has nothing to do with Tripura and the High Court of the state has no jurisdiction over this. The High Court "failed to appreciate that the family members were neither residents of Tripura nor any part of the cause of action remotely arising from Tripura existed", the Centre pointed out.

The Tripura High Court had also summoned Union Home ministry officials tomorrow with documents on the threat perception linked to Mukesh Ambani and his family. The Centre also opposed the summons to the officials.

The Maharashtra government had provided security to Mukesh Ambani and his family based on an evaluation of threat perception by the Centre.