The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to provide security 'forthwith' to the UP Waqf Board chairperson Zafar Ahmed Farooqui.

A five-judge Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, took note of the communication addressed to it by the mediation committee that Farooqui apprehends threat and directed the state government to take immediate steps to provide him security.

The letter on the security threat was written by Sriram Panchu, one of the mediators besides former apex court judge F. M. I. Kalifulla and Art of Living founder Ravi Shankar.