Bhubaneswar: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has suspended its general observer for Sambalpur Lok Sabha segment, Mohammad Mohsin, who had ordered inspection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s helicopter.
According to sources, Mohsin, a 1996 batch IAS officer, had ordered checking of the Prime Minister’s chopper during his visit to Sambalpur where he addressed a public meeting Tuesday. Although the ECI’s instructions have provided some exemption to SPG protectees like the Prime Minister, the officer had ordered inspection of his copter, said the sources.
The Commission, in its order, has stated that Mohsin was suspended for acting against its instructions. He has now been headquartered at Sambalpur till further orders.
The EC has found, prima-facie, evidence that the officer acted against the spirit of its order.
The officials had earlier this week also checked helicopters used by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Sundargarh and Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Sambalpur.
Patnaik, however, extended full cooperation to the flying squad and kept waiting inside the chopper till the process was complete Tuesday.
The Chief Minister was in Rourkela to hold a roadshow. “Soon after Patnaik landed there, the ECI’s flying squad officers approached him and requested the Chief Minister to allow them to check the chopper and luggage,” an official entrusted with Patnaik’s security, said.