West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose requests enhanced security measures amid surveillance concerns

 Governor fears 'tapping and tracking', wants state-of-the-art security system at Raj Bhavan including installation of jammers and de-bugging of the area

CV Ananda Bose: File Picture

Sudipto Chowdhury, TT, Calcutta, 28.09.23 : West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has written to the state government and the Union home ministry saying he feared that he was being "tapped and tracked" and requested for a state-of-the-art security system at Raj Bhavan including installation of jammers and de-bugging of the area, sources said on Thursday.

He recommended the removal of Calcutta Police personnel from the first floor of Raj Bhavan, which houses residential quarters and various offices, and replacing them with his personal security guards who are drawn from the CRPF, they said.

The governor wants Calcutta Police to man only the ground floor of Raj Bhavan, its entrance and exit points, gardens and surrounding areas.

"Calcutta Police personnel were earlier during the last Governor's term confined only to the ground floor of Raj Bhavan," he said.

"Bose has also directed that there should be frequent shuffling of policemen posted at Raj Bhavan," he said.

In January, Bose was accorded Z-plus security provided by the Union home ministry, which entails him to personal security drawn from central forces.

In the wake of the governor’s recommendation, Calcutta Police held a joint security meeting with the CRPF and a decision was taken to deploy two of their officers outside the governor's office and library on the first floor of the building, a senior officer of the paramilitary force said.

Currently, around 60 Calcutta Police personnel are deployed at the Raj Bhavan.