Maybach added to PM's security 'routine' replacement

New Delhi, December 29

Amid speculation on the price and other details of the Mercedes Maybach added to PM Narendra Modi’s security detail, government sources said on Wednesday that the new cars were not an upgrade but routine replacement as BMW had stopped making the model used for him earlier. “The cars cost much less than the media speculation. In fact it is about one-third of the price quoted in the media,” an official source said.

The price quoted for a Maybach car in a section of the media is over Rs 12 crore.

Official sources said the SPG security detail had a six-year norm to replace vehicles used for the protectee, and the previous cars were used for eight years under Modi, leading to an audit objection and comment that it was compromising the life of the protectee.

“The decisions relating to security detail purchases are based on the threat perception to the protectee. These decisions are taken independently by the SPG without taking views of the protectee. The widespread discussion on the security features of the protectee’s car is not in national interest as it puts in public domain a lot of unnecessary detail. This only threatens the life of the protectee,” the source said.

Thy noted that Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the past had used Range Rovers which were actually procured for the then PM. PTI