Robert Vadra, son in law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, continues to be officially exempt from security checks at airports, according to a right-to-information (RTI) response received from the government by data journalism site factly.in. This contradicts reports in September that Vadra’s name has been removed from what is called the “no-frisk list”.

“The accompanying spouse of the above said VVIPs/VIPs is also exempted from pre-embarkation security checks at all civil airports in the country,” the new note said.

This means that if Vadra accompanies his wife Priyanka Gandhi, who is protected by the Special Protection Group (SPG), he is still exempted from pre-embarkation checks.

As many as 32 categories of people are exempt from pre-embarkation security checks at India’s civilian airports, said the RTI response received by factly.in. Such exemptions are granted:

• On the basis of Protocol
  On the basis of reciprocity/bilateral agreement in respect of foreign dignitaries
  On the basis of Security ground.

Here’s who is exempt from security checks at Indian airports, according to the latest list:

• President
  Vice President
  Prime Minister
  Governors of states
  Former Presidents
  Former Vice Presidents
  Chief Justice of India
  Speaker of Lok Sabha
  Union Ministers of Cabinet rank
  Chief Ministers of States
  Deputy Chief Ministers of states
  Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission
  Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha
  Holders of Bharat Ratna awards
  Ambassadors of foreign countries, charge D’ Affairs and High Commissioners and their spouses
  Judges of Supreme Court
  Chief Election Commissioner
  Comptroller & Auditor General of India
  Deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha
  Ministers of State of the Union Council of Ministers
  Attorney General of India
  Cabinet Secretary
  Lt Governors of union territories
  Chiefs of staffs holding the rank of full General or equivalent rank
  Chief Justices of the High Courts
  Chief Ministers of union territories
  Deputy Chief Ministers of union territories
  Visiting Foreign dignitaries of the same status as president, chief justice, governors, former presidents and vice presidents.
  The Dalai Lama
  SPG Protectees
  Spouse of the President of India is exempt from pre-embarkation security checks at all civil airports even when he/she is not accompanying the President
  Former Prime Ministers of India
  Note: The Accompanying spouse of the above said VVIPs/VIPs is also exempted from pre-embarkation security checks at all civil airports in the country

The Special Protection Group (SPG) is one of eight central armed police forces of India. It was created in 1988 by an act of the Parliament of India for “providing proximate security to the Prime Minister (PM) of India and former Prime Minister of India and members of their immediate families”.

Family of a serving PM may decline security. Former PMs and their immediate family may also, if they choose, decline SPG security.

Courtesy : IndiaSpend