Madras HC orders best security for Jayalalithaa

Chennai: The Madras High Court has asked the Tamil Nadu government to provide full Z category protection to former chief minister J Jayalalithaa and give details of the security being accorded to her.

Justice K Suguna asked the state government to provide the AIADMK leader "full protection as provided under the Z Plus category" and to file an affidavit giving details before the next hearing on Oct 26.

Jayalalithaa had filed a petition earlier this week seeking a direction to the DMK government to ensure her full protection under her entitlement to 'Z Plus' category security.

Jayalalitha said she had had protection from NSG commandos since 1991. Her lawyer stated that she had been given NSG cover by the Central government, but the DMK government had withdrawn it May 13, 2006.

Last week, the AIADMK leader had alleged that her life was under threat from her political opponents, specifically DMK leader M.K. Stalin, the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.

Alleging that there was "dereliction of duty on the part of IAS and IPS officials", Jayalalitha's lawyer N. Jyothi told the court: "The chief minister (M. Karunanidhi) one day says that 155 people are on security duty for her (Jayalalitha). But the next day, he says there are 55 personnel".

On October 16, a stranger had entered her house. Jayalalitha is also under threat from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Speaking for the government, Advocate General R. Viduthalai told the court that Jayalalitha had "refused a bullet proof car offered to her when she was chief minister (2001-06)".

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