Officer suspended for checking PM's chopper back in state

Bengaluru: An Election Commission general observer, who was suspended for checking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s helicopter in Odisha’s Sambalpur in violation of norms for dealing with SPG protectees, has been sent back to Karnataka.

He is a 1996 batch IAS officer of Karnataka cadre.

The Commission had last week suspended its general observer for Sambalpur in Odisha for violating its instructions that SPG protectees should not be checked.

Mohammed Mohsin had tried to check some luggage in the convoy of the Prime Minister on Tuesday last.

Modi had addressed a rally in Sambalpur on Tuesday.

An order issued by the EC on Tuesday had said the general observer for Sambalpur, Mohammad Mohsin, acted in violation of existing instructions of EC.

“It has been laid down that SPG protectees are exempted from checking. He should have known the instruction as being an observer. The reason for the suspension is a dereliction of duty,” a source said.

After the incident, he was attached to the Sambalpur headquarters. Now, he has been attached with the chief electoral officer of Karnataka.

He continues to be under suspension, a spokesperson said.

The order exempting SPG protectees, including the PM, was issued in April 2014, EC said.

The poll body took the action against Mohsin, the general observer of Sambalpur, on the basis of a report submitted by the district collector and deputy inspector general of police.