Officer checks PM's chopper in Odisha, suspended

Bhubaneswar: The Election Commission on Wednesday suspended an officer posted as General Observer in Odisha for allegedly checking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s chopper in Sambalpur in violation of the laid down norms.

The 1996 batch Karnataka cadre IAS officer, Mohammed Mohsin, has not acted in conformity with the EC’s instructions concerning SPG protectees, an order issued by the commission said.

On the basis of a report from the district collector and the DIG of police, the EC has taken action against the General Observer of Sambalpur came a day after the prime minister’s visit there on Tuesday.

“Checking of the prime minister’s chopper, undertaken at Sambalpur, was not in accordance with the EC guidelines as SPG protectees are exempt from such checking,” said a senior official without elaborating.

The prime minister was stated to have been held up at the place for around 15 minutes because of the sudden checking, the official said.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s helicopter was also checked by the personnel of the EC flying squad in Rourkela on Tuesday.

Similar checking was carried out for Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s chopper at Sambalpur on Tuesday by the flying squad, sources said.