The Bengaluru bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) stayed the suspension of the Karnataka cadre Indian Administrative Slogan (IAS) officer Mohammed Mohsin yesterday, who was removed from his post of general observer accused of checking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s chopper.
The Administrative Tribunal has issued a notice to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the four others to submit the respond after examination of all respects within four weeks. The next hearing is scheduled to be heard on June 6.
IAS officer, Mohammed Mohsin has allegedly checked some luggage in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s convoy on April 16 ahead of his rally in Sambalpur, Odisha, in spite of the instruction of not checking the luggage and possessions of the Special Protection groups (SPG) protectees. The Election Commission suspended the Karnataka cadre officer, Mohmad Mohsin based on this ground.
Mohammed Mohsin was transferred to the office of Chief Electoral Officer in Bengaluru. In his complaint to the Tribunal in Bengaluru, he told the bench that the SPG official had permitted him to take a video of Modi’s helicopter from a distance, but later on, he complained against Mohsin to the Election Commission.
The Tribunal member K.B Suresh said that “the Karnataka cadre IAS officer will be eligible to rejoin his former position under the government of Karnataka without any further ado about it.”
The CAT claimed that security and assurances should be made available to the SPG protectees, but this does not give them the liability of doing anything and everything. The tribunal also noticed that huge packages were taken away from the cavalcade of PM Modi to another vehicle and sped away in another vehicle in Karnataka.
The CAT member (judicial) Dr. KB Suresh noticed that there were certain circulars on the SPG protectees that they are exempted from certain examinations, he said “The CAT will not go according to what is written in the bluebook right now. We will make sure that the rule of law should prevail.
The complaint also read that previously private vehicle of Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy was also checked. The Odisha’s chief minister, Naveen Patnaik’s vehicles were also checked but no action followed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on his election tour to Orissa for his BJP candidates contesting in the Lok Sabha elections from the state.
The Election Commission in its order against Mohammed Mohsin on April 16 said that the IAS officer has not acted in conformity with the Election Commission’s instructions concerning the SPG protectees”.
The state has witnessed three phases of elections on April 11, April 18, and April 23. The fourth phase of elections will be held on April 29.
The results for the Lok Sabha election will be announced on May 23.
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