New Delhi, April 18: The Election Commission on Wednesday suspended its poll observer in Odisha's Sambalpur who inspected Prime Minister Narendra Modi's helicopter. Reports citing officials privy to the matter claimed that the observer violated the laid norms which prohibit inspecting SPG protectees.

The official, learnt to be Karnataka-cadre IAS Mohammed Mohsin, had attempted to check the convoy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had arrived in Sambalpur on Tuesday to address a rally organised by the BJP state unit. Cash Seizures Double Vis-a-Vis 2014, EC Confiscating Rs 100 Crores in Raids Per Day.

Notably, the Congress had registered a complaint on Sunday with the Election Commission after allegedly spotting a "black trunk" moved out of the chopper of PM Modi after he landed in Karnataka's Chitradurga on April 9.

Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma asked the Prime Minister to come clean and said the Election Commission should inquire into the contents of the "trunk". According to the party, they suspect cash being illegally transferred by Modi in the poll-bound region.

Here is the Video Shared by Congress:

EC on Sambalpur Poll Observer's Suspension

An order issued by the Commission on Tuesday said, 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 being an observer. The reason for the suspension is a dereliction of duty," a source said.

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

"Taking cognizance of the matter and based on available facts, the observer was placed under suspension and removed from the observer duty," an EC official said.

The commission has now deputed Deputy Election Commissioner Dharmendra Sharma to visit Sambalpur to conduct a detailed inquiry and furnish a report in two days.

(With PTI inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 18, 2019 12:24 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).