Bhubaneswar, 17 April (H.S.): A formal probe has been ordered following allegations that two Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers were forcibly evicted from Lok Bhavan in Bhubaneswar and taken to a police station during a scheduled courtesy visit to Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati. The incident, which occurred on Thursday, has triggered strong reactions within administrative circles.

The matter came to light after a written complaint was submitted by D. Sudhakar Rao, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Odisha, to the Governor’s Secretary. In his complaint, Rao detailed the alleged mistreatment of two IRS officers—Manish Kumar (2015 batch) and Satya Prakash Mishra (2023 batch)—who were part of the visiting delegation.

According to the complaint, Rao, along with his wife and three other officials, was granted permission to meet the Governor. Meanwhile, the two officers were asked to wait in a designated hall within the Lok Bhavan premises. However, the situation reportedly escalated when, acting on the instructions of the ADC (Police), the officers were allegedly removed from the premises and taken to Capital Police Station in a police vehicle.

The complaint further stated that one of the officers was accused of being in an inebriated condition. However, this allegation was later found to be unsubstantiated after verification at the police station.

Rao described the incident as a serious breach of protocol and expressed concern over the treatment meted out to the officers. He noted that unfounded allegations had been made regarding their sobriety, which were subsequently proven baseless. The complaint termed the episode as an affront to the dignity of senior civil servants.

In his communication, Rao emphasized that the visit had been pre-coordinated, and that the officers had duly informed the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Governor as well as the ADC (Navy) about their presence in the waiting area. Despite this, they were allegedly subjected to what he described as “unprovoked and inappropriate treatment.”

The letter further stated that, at the behest of the ADC (Police), the officers were forcibly escorted out of Lok Bhavan and taken to the police station without sufficient cause. Rao urged authorities to examine the conduct of the security personnel and the ADC (Police) involved in the incident to ensure that such occurrences are not repeated in the future.

Following the complaint, authorities have initiated an inquiry into the matter. Officials indicated that the probe would examine all aspects of the incident, including adherence to protocol, the actions of security personnel, and the circumstances under which the officers were removed from the premises.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda