Some 'malafide' behind slashing down of Zeeshan Siddique's security cover, says HC

Mumbai, Dec 11 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Thursday said there seemed to be some malafide behind the scaling down of security cover of Zeeshan Siddique, son of late NCP leader and former MLA Baba Siddique, who was killed in October last year.

A bench of Justices A S Gadkari and R R Bhonsale made the remarks while hearing a petition filed by Baba Siddique's widow Shehzeen, seeking transfer of the investigation into her husband's murder to an "independent and impartial agency".

Siddique was shot dead by three assailants outside his son Zeeshan's office in Bandra on the night of October 12, 2024.

Shehzeen said in her plea that her husband had repeatedly raised security concerns and sought restoration of police protection weeks before his murder.

After Siddique's murder, Zeeshan was provided with police security after he filed an application for the same.

However, after the petition was filed (by Shehzeen), the police scaled down his security, Shehzeen's advocate Pradeep Gharat told the court on Thursday.

The bench then sought from the police the Minutes of Meeting (MoM) of the committee in which it was decided to reduce Zeeshan's security.

Public prosecutor Mankunwar Deshmukh submitted a file before the bench containing threat perception reports (TPR) by the police, which is used to decide on providing / reducing / removing police security to person/s.

She refuted that the security was reduced after filing of the petition.

The bench, however, sought the details where it was decided to reduce Zeeshan's security.

"Where is the finding that there is no threat perception at all. Show us reasoning given by any authority to scale down the security," the bench said.

Admitting that the meeting is not held for each and every case, Deshmukh said that at times it is decided as per TPR reports.

On a court query, Deshmukh said that Zeeshan's security was reduced from November 8 this year.

The bench then remarked, "Prima facie, there seems malafide. Because this is not decided by some committee. It is by some officer/s, who approved and reduced the security." The bench directed the state's advocate general to appear in the matter. PTI SP NP