Delhi High Court disposes of Swami Chakrapani's Z+ security dispute

  • Gargi Chatterjee
  • 03:22 PM, 23 Oct 2021

Read Time: 05 minutes

Justice Rekha Palli of the Delhi High Court has disposed of a petition seeking Z+ category security for Swami Chakrapani, the national president of the Hindu Sant Mahasabha. Swami Chakrapani had asked for Z + security on account of threat from underworld dons Chhota Shakeel and Dawood Ibrahim. 

Justice Palli held that Chakrapani's request for upgradation of his security will be reconsidered on or before November 5, which is one month from the date of last assessment and if the government do not deem it necessary to act on the request, then a further review will be made within six weeks. 

The petition averred that Swami Chakrapani had bought a car at an auction at Hotel Diplomat Mumbai on December 9, 2015, belonging to Dawood Ibrahim. The very next day, he received a threat from Chhota Shakeel alias Shakeel Babu Mian Sheikh. The petitioner lodged a complaint on December 11, 2015 with Police Station Mandir Marg, New Delhi regarding the same. According to the petition, on December 23, 2015, Swami Chakrapani along with his followers, publicly burnt the said car at a public gathering at Indirapuram, Ghaziabad. Ever since this incident, Swami Chakrapani has received numerous threats from Dawood and his aides.

In his plea, Chakrapani had contended that he was granted Z+ security by the Centre in 2015 after he had received death threats from Dawood Ibrahim whose properties he had purchased at an auction. In 2021, the Z+ security was diminished to X category without any reason furnished. Chakrapani stated: 

"This level of security provided to me is absolutely inadequate, I have grave threat to life," 

The Centre had responded that security is provided based on an assessment carried out by the Commissioner of Police. In the previous hearing the Court granted time to the Delhi police to revert with instructions in the matter pursuant to which an affidavit was filed wherein the copy of the latest assessment report dated 5 October 2021 was included.

Justice Palli disposed off petition on Delhi Police’s assurance that it will assess the security threats to Swami Chakrapani afresh on or before November 5. However, Swami Chakrapani has the liberty to seek legal recourse, if the security is not upgraded, according to the order. 

Cause Title: Swami Chakrapani vs Union Of India & Ors.