Plea in Bombay HC seeking Z plus security for Adar Poonawalla

Datta Mane, an advocate, has filed the writ petition in the Bombay High Court seeking Z plus security for the CEO of the Serum Institute of India, Adar Poonawalla and his family. He also sought direction from the court to register FIR against those threatening Poonawalla.

Mumbai:A writ petition was filed in Bombay high court on Wednesday seeking Z plus security for CEO of the Serum Institute of India, Adar Poonawalla and his family.

Datta Mane, an advocate, has filed the writ petition in HC and requested the court to give order to the Maharashtra government and Pune Police Commissioner to file an FIR in the matter.

He also requested that by the time the order on his petition comes, Poonawalla and his family should be given ample police protection and there should be police deployment at Serum institute and other properties of Poonawalla.

This comes after his recent remarks alleging that he had been receiving threats in India and that he and his family left the country for London after unprecedented "pressure and aggression" over the demand for COVID-19 vaccines.

He had said he had received calls from "some of the most powerful men in India", including "Chief Ministers, heads of business conglomerates and others."

Earlier on April 28, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed that the CEO of SII will be provided with Y category security across the country by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

The Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) is producing 'Covishield' - the Oxford/AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine.

With agency inputs