As soon as Roy joined TMC he was allotted a Y category security by state police
Former BJP MLA Mukul Roy (file photo)
The ‘Z category’ security provided to former BJP MLA Mukul Roy by the Centre has been withdrawn after he rejoined Trinamul Congress recently and wrote to state police instead for providing him with a Y category security cover.
Roy, who won the Krishnagar North constituency in 2021 state polls on a BJP ticket, has recently switched sides to Trinamul Congress. Prior to his recent defection, Roy was holding the position of BJP’s national vice president and received the Z category security cover before the polls. Sources said, as soon as Roy joined TMC he was allotted a Y category security.
However, it is learned that Roy himself had written to the Ministry of Home Affairs, requesting withdrawal of the Z category security cover. It may be noted that about 22 CRPF personnel were attached to his security cover along with few NSG commandos. He told the Press that he has already relieved the CRPF personnel as part of the central security cover.
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Meanwhile, Mukul’s son Subragshu Roy’s security cover too was withdrawn as per his request. About eight central security personnel were allotted to him. Sources in the central force said the protocol was clear that if a VIP wanted to give up the security cover, it has to be withdrawn.
It may be noted that it was only last month considering the post-poll violence that all 77 BJP MLAs in Bengal received a central security cover, fearing attacks on them allegedly from ruling party workers.
Mukul Roy had been instrumental in engineering a mass defection to BJP from the TMC prior to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He is said to have strengthened the state unit of the BJP which found evidence in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls where it bagged 18 seats; it was the highest number of seats the saffron brigade had ever bagged in Bengal in Parliamentary elections.
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