Staff Reporter
Mumbai
Member of Parliament Rajan Vichare from the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) camp has filed a petition in the Bombay High Court against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and others regarding the decision to reduce his security to just one constable.
The petition, filed through advocate Nitin Satpute, states that while the State Government, at the cost of the exchequer, is providing double police security to private personal assistants, party workers and some people who are not even holding any position but are close to the CM, the security of those aligning with Shiv Sena UBT has been reduced.
Mr Vichare has alleged in his plea that the government machinery is being misused to intimidate him despite being elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014 and re-elected in 2019 with a margin of over 4.21 lakh votes. He has further stated that a letter to the Thane Commissioner of Police didn’t help.
The plea further pointed out news reports to show that vehicles acquired from the Nirbhaya fund were diverted for the protection of MLAs from the Eknath Shinde camp. However, it may be noted that several of these vehicles were returned as per news reports.
The petition has prayed that the respondents be directed to reinstate or restore security to the petitioner for the interest of justice. He has also prayed that the government be directed to send back all Nirbhaya vehicles to the Nirbhaya Squad of police stations concerned forthwith and also conduct audit of the funds raised for Nirbhaya vehicle and their alleged misuse by Mr Fadnavis. The plea has been kept for hearing on January 9.
