Nagpur: In a significant ruling, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that questioned the ‘Z-Plus’ security cover granted to Dr Mohan Bhagwat, the Sarsanghchalak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Terming the petition “devoid of merit,” the court refused to intervene, making it clear that decisions regarding high-level security arrangements fall within the jurisdiction of competent authorities based on threat perception.
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The PIL was filed by social activist Lalan Kishore Singh, who sought directions to recover the cost of the VVIP security cover from Bhagwat personally. The matter was heard by a bench led by Chief Justice Chandrashekhar and Justice Anil Kilor.
While delivering the judgment, the bench observed that the petitioner failed to provide sufficient material to justify such a direction. The court emphasized that security decisions are taken after careful assessment of threat inputs and cannot be arbitrarily questioned in the absence of strong evidence.
The petitioner had relied on a 2023 ruling of the Supreme Court of India in a case involving industrialist Mukesh Ambani. In that judgment, the apex court had stated that individuals may be required to bear the cost of security provided under special circumstances. Using this precedent, the petitioner argued that public funds should not be used for Bhagwat’s security and that the expenses should instead be recovered and deposited in the government treasury.
The plea also sought directions to the Central Government and the Ministry of Home Affairs to take a formal decision on the issue. However, after hearing all parties, the High Court concluded that no case was made out for interference and dismissed the petition outright. Government Pleader Deven Chauhan represented the State.
Security upgraded to ASL level
Notably, Bhagwat already enjoys ‘Z-Plus’ category security, which includes deployment of over 50 personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). Following a recent alert issued by the Intelligence Bureau, his security has reportedly been upgraded to the Advanced Security Liaison (ASL) protocol, considered on par with arrangements provided to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Under the ASL protocol, extensive coordination is carried out ahead of any visit, involving local administration, police, and even health departments to ensure comprehensive security preparedness.
According to the petitioner, the monthly expenditure on Bhagwat’s security ranges between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 45 lakh, an argument the court ultimately found insufficient to warrant judicial intervention.
