Threat to Adar Poonawalla: Petition filed in Bombay HC seeks Z+ security for Serum Institute of India CEO, his family

The petitioner said that Poonawalla and his family should be given Z plus security, and his assets should be protected keeping the threats that were being made to Poonawallah as per media reports.

Mumbai: A writ petition has been filed in the Bombay High Court seeking Z plus security for Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla and his family.

The petitioner, filed by advocate Datta Shrirang Mane, said that Adar Poonawalla and his family should be given Z plus security, and his assets should be protected keeping the threats that were being made to Poonawallah as per media reports.

The plea requested the high court to give an order to the Maharashtra government and Pune Police Commissioner to file an FIR in the matter based on the petitioner`s complaint which he has already submitted.

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.

On May 2, in an interview to a London newspaper, Poonawalla had complained of receiving threats from politicians and "powerful men" demanding quick delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine that his firm has been producing.

Poonawalla had also complained of being "vilified and blamed", and hinted at starting a new vaccine production unit in the United Kingdom.

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." 

Based on his complaint, the Ministry of Home Affairs had recently issued orders to provide 'Y' category security on an all-India basis to Serum Institute of India's CEO Adar Poonawalla. The CRPF was instructed to provide security to him.

The Union government's decision came after the Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs at Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), Prakash Kumar Singh had written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on April 16 requesting security for Adar Poonawalla..