Odisha: 5 ‘BJD-brand’ IPS Officers Cool Heels as OSD in Home Department

Bhubaneswar: Some senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers who allegedly maintained shared strong bond with V Karthikeyan Pandian, a bureaucrat-turned BJD politician and the “blue-eyed boy” former CM Naveen Patnaik, have started cooling their heels in the state home department as Officer on Special Duty (OSD).

The OSD position, contrary to the title, is seen as a punishment by the government to the officials who don’t enjoy its faith and trust. As many as five IPS officers have now been placed as OSD in the home department after being stripped of their positions.

The five officers who are cooling their heels include Ashish Kumar Singh (2004 batch), DS Kutte (1997 batch), Ravi Kant (1998 batch), S.M. Narvane (1989-batch) and Ritu Arora (1995 batch).

DS Kutte, Ravi Kant and Ashish were considered as most influential IPS officers during the last term of the previous Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government. They were seen as close aides of Pandian who used to call the shots in both BJD organisation and in the government. In power corridors and political circles they were called as BJD-marka or “BJD-brand” officers.

Interestingly, the Election Commission of India (ECI) had found interference of Kutte and Ashish Kumar Singh in the election process to facilitate victory of the BJD. Kutte was placed under suspension while Singh was on April 5 shifted from Central Range IG (Inspector General) position to Chief Minister’s security.

Ravi Kant was Resident Commissioner in New Delhi.

The state government had on Monday revoked the suspension of IPS officer DS Kutey and posted him as officer on special duty (OSD) in the home department.

The 1997 batch IPS officer, who was serving as the special secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) in the previous BJD government, was suspended by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on May 28 for unduly interfering in ‘conduct of election process’. During the suspension period, Kutey’s headquarters was fixed at the office of the resident commissioner, Odisha in New Delhi.

The action on Kutey by ECI had come three days before the last phase of elections in Odisha, which was held on June 1. The letter of the ECI to then chief electoral officer NB Dhal on May 28 had stated that the action was taken to “curb undue influence on the election machinery and (for) maintaining the level playing field and fairness in the electoral process.”

Along with Kutey, the ECI had also asked another IPS officer Ashis Singh, the then IG, chief minister’s security, to appear before a medical board constituted by the director of AIIMS, Bhubaneswar not later than May 30. Singh was on a month’s leave on health grounds from May 4. The state government had also appointed Singh as OSD in the home department on July 11.