NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Centre has accorded 'Z+' VIP security cover to former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi.
Further, the former chief justice of India and currently Rajya Sabha MP will be protected by armed commandos of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) during his travel all across India.
The CRPF has a VIP security unit and Gogoi is its 63rd protectee, sources said.
Gogoi was earlier being provided with a security cover of the Delhi Police.
The 66-year-old retired in November 2019 and was later nominated to the upper house of Parliament by the government.
It is to be mentioned that Gogoi is the Upper House who does not take salary or allowances. Instead, Gogoi opts to continue to avail of the retirement benefits which are being paid to him as a former CJI.
This revelation came to light after the Rajya Sabha Secretariat responded to a Right to Information (RTI) query. Talking to the publication, Gogoi revealed this his monthly pension as a retired CJI is Rs. 82,301.
Upon being contacted, the former CJI forwarded a letter he had written to the Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha, dated 24 March 2020. "Please note that I am not availing of the benefit of the salary and allowances (except travelling allowances and accommodation) which I would otherwise be entitled to as a member of the Rajya Sabha. Instead, I opt to continue to avail of the retirement benefits which are being paid to me as a former Chief Justice of India," he had written.
The former CJI was nominated to the Rajya Sabha as a member of eminence in March 2020.
Responding to a query on the amount spent on paying the salaries of its MPs, the Rajya Sabha said, "As per the record available in this branch, salary and allowances (Constituency Allowance and Office Expense Allowance) were paid to 226 Member of the Rajya Sabha in the Month of July 2020, which amounts to Rs 2,99,18,000."