New Delhi: Eight family members of former Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, two former Chief Justices of India are among more than 30 VIPs whose security cover have been withdrawn by the Central government. Former Telecom Minister A Raja, who is also an accused in the 2G scam, former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt Gen (retd) S K Sinha and NHRC chairperson K G Balakrishnan names also figure in the list whose security was either withdrawn or downgraded by the Central government.
Security cover given by central forces to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, Kerala Governor and former Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam and Uttarakhand Governor K K Paul were also withdrawn as they have been given security cover by the respective state governments. A total of eight family members of Shinde are no longer eligible for security cover given by central forces. They are: Shinde’s wife Ujwala, daughters Praniti and Smruti, son-in-law Raj Shroff, two grand daughters and two grand sons. All of them got security when Shinde was Union Home Minister.
A Home Ministry official said that the decision has been taken after a thorough security review of each of the individual and considering their current threat perception. Others whose security cover has been withdrawn include former Union Ministers Subodh Kant Sahai, V Narayanasamy and Jitin Prasada, Principal Secretary to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, T K A Nair, former MP and industrialist Naveen Jindal, former National Conference MP Abdul Rashid Shaheen and R K Dhawan, close aide of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Former Delhi Lt Governor Tejendra Khanna, former Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam, former Rajya Sabha MP Rishang Keishing, former Manipur Governor V K Duggal’s son Sunil, V Narayanasamy’s daughter-in-law Yamuna, former Home Secretary Anil Goswami and former Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth also figure in the list.