Will Provide If He Asks, Says Maha Govt After Adar Poonawalla Denies Asking Z-Plus Cover

The Maharashtra government has told the Bombay High Court that it would provide security to Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla, if he makes a request.

The HC was hearing a PIL by advocate Datta Mane, seeking a direction to the Union and State governments to provide 'Z-plus' security to Poonawalla after he reportedly said that he was receiving threats over the supply of vaccines.

Twitter/@adarpoonawalla

No request by Poonawalla

However, Poonawalla himself, in a statement had informed the court that he ¡°has not made requests for Z plus security and does not endorse any demands for Z plus security made on his behalf or for him by anyone.¡¯¡¯

On Friday, the HC dismissed the plea and said that the petitioner was seeking protection for a person who may not even be aware of the plea. ¡°These are personal matters. What if he (Poonawalla) says that he does not want protection or he is not afraid. We cannot go behind the back of people and pass orders.¡±

BCCL`

The Union government has already provided `Y' category CRPF protection to Poonawalla.

Poonawalla. whose company has been manufacturing and selling the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in India as Covishield had created quite a storm after he told a UK newspaper that he was facing threats from some of the most powerful people in the country demanding supply of the doses to their states.

Before the Narendra Modi-led government recently changed its policy, states were briefly allowed to procure COVID-19 vaccines on their own to inoculate those in the 18-44 age group.

AFP

This had resulted in all the states rushing to SII and Bharat Biotech with their orders and even pressured them for priority supplies.

Earlier this week, Maharashtra Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, Hasan Mushrif had alleged that Poonawalla was forced to flee the country as he was receiving threats from the Centre for promising to supply 1.5 crore vaccine doses to Maharashtra.

Reuters

Other than the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, SII, the world's largest vaccine maker is also making Novavax¡¯s Covid-19 vaccine, which will be sold in India as Covovax.

Last week the SII had also applied to the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) seeking permission for a test license to manufacture the Russia-developed Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V.