VVIP security cover for Nita Ambani

NEW DELHI: After Reliance Industries Limited Chairman Mukesh Ambani was accorded a 'Z' category security few years ago, the government has now granted 'Y' category security cover of armed CRPF commandos to his wife Nita Ambani.

Officials said today Nita has recently been provided a full 'Y' cover of about ten armed men who would be travelling with her every time she is mobile.

They said a threat assessment report prepared by central security agencies reported requirement of a special security cover for her after which the Union Home Ministry sanctioned the protection.

As her husband was already a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) protectee, the new responsibility was entrusted to the country's largest paramilitary as "logistical arrangements" would be easy to do, they said.

"The security cover will be fully paid for, like in the case of her husband. A team of about 10 CRPF commandos with an escort vehicle will secure the new protectee," they added.

The business tycoon couple are possibly the only private corporate entity to be accorded government VVIP security cover after the Union Home Ministry had first approved the facility for country's richest business leader (Mukesh Ambani) in 2013.

It was then reasoned that Mukesh Ambani is under 'potential' threat and private security guards cannot perform the task of securing him as they are not allowed to carry weapons of higher calibre and sophistication.

Under the 'Z' category security, Ambani has a pilot and escort vehicle with commandos armed with sophisticated weapons who give him proximate security every time he moves in Mumbai, where he is based, or any other part of country.

'Y' is a scaled down category but the commandos are similarly armed, they said.

The 'Z' category is the second highest VVIP security cover after the 'Z+' bracket which has about 40 commandos for the protectee. CRPF is providing VVIP security cover to as many as 58 protectee.