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The Bombay High Court today while noting the role that is being played by Adar Poonawala CEO of Serum Institute of India distributing and manufacturing CoviShield vaccine has asked the State of Maharashtra to rethink the Y + security. 

The Division Bench of Justice SS Shinde and Justice Abhay Ahuja while directing the Chief Public Prosecutor Deepak Thakre to inform the Court about the police personnel posted the matter to be heard on June 10, 2021. 

“Since the manufacturing is in our state, we expect someone from the Ministry to talk to him and assure him of the protection. This is merely our belief and we are not passing any orders. we believe that the top authorities should give their words & he's assured that nothing of that sort happens to him.”, the Court said.

The Court further took note of the huge amount of vaccine Poonawala’s company would produce and said, “His company would be manufacturing a lot more vaccines now. Mumbai is the country’s economic capital and Maharashtra is a modern state.”.

The bench made these directions on a plea filed by Datta Shrirang Mane and through Advocate Pradeep Havnur seeking Z+ security for Adar Poonawala and also for seeking a direction to the police to register an FIR and carry out a probe into the alleged threat to Mr Poonawalla over the supply of vaccine. The petition further stated that Mr Poonawalla and his family had to leave India due to the threats they had been receiving and thereafter vaccine production could be affected if the vaccine makers felt unsafe.

The vacation bench of Justice SS Shinde and NR Borkar on Thursday had directed the State of Maharashtra to respond to the petition. 

The matter is now expected to be heard on June 10, 2021. 

Case Title: Datta Shrirang Mane v. The State of Maharashtra| WP/2030/2021 (Criminal)