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Amitabh kept Maharashtra govt in the dark on threats: PTI

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan had kept Maharashtra government and the state police in the dark about the perceived threats of his abduction, Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said in Bombay on Monday.

"Neither Bachchan has informed the state government about the threat perceptions nor the city police have any intelligence reports of any threat to the superstar," Bhujbal, who also holds home portfolio, told PTI.

Bachchan, who is anchoring the popular TV programme Kaun Banega Crorepati, had recently written to Union Home Minister L K Advani that he was receiving threats on his personal mobile phone.

The Union home ministry in turn had asked the Maharashtra government to beef up Bachchan's security cover.

Bhujbal said security comparing to Z category had been accorded to Bachchan since the last five to six years but it was scaled down during the Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray's arrest episode when the state mobilised additional forces.

Bachchan does not come under categorised security cover, Bhujbal noted.

However, the security was restored immediately after officials of the Union home ministry contacted the city police, Bhujbal said.

Meanwhile, city police chief M N Singh remained tightlipped over the matter despite persistent queries from newsmen.

Bachchan, in his letter to Advani, had expressed fears that he might be kidnapped in the same fashion as Kannada superstar Dr Rajakumar.

The superstar had also voiced concern over the safety of his son Abhishek, who recently joined Bollywood, and his wife Jaya, who had resumed acting in movies.

Asked about Bachchan directly approaching the Union home minister bypassing the state government, Bhujbal said, "We are not offended."

The state government was not against providing security to the superstar, the deputy chief minister clarified.

"He should have approached us," Bhujbal added.

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