RTI SAYS VISHWAJIT RANE IS UNDER Y SECURITY : AIRES CLAIMS ITS Z PLUS

PANJIM: The Goa Police in information furnished to Adv. Aires Rodrigues under the Right to Information Act has claimed that Goa’s Health Minister Mr. Vishwajit Rane is only getting Y security.  Superintendent of Police, Security has informed Adv. Aires Rodrigues that those categorized under Y Security are entitled to two Personal Security Officers round the clock.

This is contrary to Adv. Aires Rodrigues’s claim that 24 policemen by way of police security and two police escort jeeps have been provided to Health Minister Mr. Vishwajit Rane which only those categorized under Z- Plus are entitled to.

Adv. Rodrigues has also claimed that Mr. Vishwajit Rane was enjoying this illegal police security from 2007 and that it was costing the state exchequer over rupees five lakhs a month.

The SP security has declined for security reasons to furnish information to Adv. Rodrigues on whether Health Minister Mr. Vishwajit Rane has been given police escort jeeps.

Also claiming security reasons the SP Security has declined to furnish the total number of security staff given to Mr. Vishwajit Rane.

The SP Security citing security reasons has also declined to furnish information whether the police security given to Health Minister Vishwajit Rane has been approved the Goa Government’s security categorsiation review committee.

Adv. Aires Rodrigues has today stated that the information has been denied to him to conceal the illegal police security given to Health Minister Mr. Vishwajit Rane.

Adv. Rodrigues has stated that he would file an appeal as provided under the Right to Information Act against the refusal by the SP security to furnish the information that he had sought.

The information furnished to Adv. Aires Rodrigues by the SP Security has also revealed that currently four persons are getting Z-Plus Security, 19 are getting Y security while three are under X security.

Those getting X security include Editor of Goan Observer Mr. Rajan Narayan, Calangute MLA Mr. Agnelo Fernandes and St Andre MLA Mr. Francis Silveira.

The four under Z plus Security are Governor Dr. S.S.Sidhu, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, Speaker Pratapsingh Rane and Home Minister Mr. Ravi Naik.

Under the Y security besides all ministers, Deputy Speaker, Leader of Opposition, Chief Secretary, the two Lok Sabha members the list includes former Punjab Governor General Sunith Rodrigues, Advocate General Mr. Subodh Kantak, former Chief Minister Mr. Luizinho Faleiro and Deputy Chairman of the Goa Planning Board Dr. Wilfred D’Souza.

Interestingly the list provided by SP Security of those given police security does not include Bombay High Court Registrar Ms. I.K.Jain who Adv. Aires Rodrigues has accused of having been given illegal police security. The list also does not include the family members of Home Minister Mr. Ravi Naik who have recently reportedly been given police security cover.