IAS officer suspended for checking Modi’s helicopter asked to leave Odisha soon

Bhubaneswar: Mohammed Mohsin, the IAS officer, suspended by the Election Commission (EC) for checking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s helicopter in Sambalpur, has been asked to leave Odisha.

The Election Commission, which came under heavy criticism for its action against the officer, has ordered him to leave the State and report to Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer.

“With reference to Commission’s Order No.464/OR/2019, dated 16.04.2019, it is further directed that the headquarters of Sh. Mohammed Mohsin, IAS (KN-1996), will be the office of Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, Bengaluru in place of Sambalpur, Odisha with immediate effect,” the EC stated in its fresh order.

Sources said Mohsin, who is posted as a general observer in Sambalpur, will return to Bangalore tonight.

The EC took action against the IAS officer citing he had “not acted in conformity with the ECI’s instructions” that have made an exception for SPG protectees like the Prime Minister.

Also Read: Poll official suspended for checking Modi’s helicopter in Odisha

The action against the officer came a day after the prime minister’s visit to Sambalpur on April 16.

Following widespread criticism over Mohsin’s suspension, the EC had said that it has appointed a senior official to submit a report regarding the suspension.

Mohsin, a 1996-batch Karnataka cadre IAS officer, has been an extremely vocal critic of the Modi government on his social media accounts, especially on Twitter.

He is currently posted as the Secretary in the Backward Class Welfare Department of Karnataka government.