The Centre on Wednesday granted Z category security cover to businessman Gautam Adani, PTI reported. Comprising of a 22-personnel team, the Z category is the second-highest level of security cover in India.

The security cover is being provided to the 60-year-old industrialist on the basis of a threat perception report prepared by the central security agencies, unidentified officials told PTI

“The Union Home Ministry has asked the Central Reserve Police Force VIP security wing to take over the job and its squad is now with the protectee,” an official told PTI.

The founder of Adani Group controls companies ranging from ports and aerospace to thermal energy and coal. Last month, Adani surpassed Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates to become the world’s fourth richest person, according to the Forbes real-time billionaires list.

Mukesh Ambani, among the 10 richest persons in the world, is provided with Z+ security cover, under which 58 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force guard him and his family round the clock. His security level was upgraded from the Z category in 2013 after the Union home ministry carried out a review of the threat perception.

In July, a petition was filed against the security in the Tripura High Court, which asked for the review file about the threat perception to the businessman and his family. However, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition and asked the Centre to continue providing security cover to the Ambanis.