UP power department officer dismissed for putting up picture of ‘idol’ Osama bin Laden in his office

Lucknow, March 21

A sub-divisional officer (SDO) in Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) has been dismissed from service for allegedly putting up a picture of terrorist Osama bin Laden in his office, a senior official said on Tuesday.

UPPCL chairman M Devraj ordered the termination of Ravindra Prakash Gautam after a recommendation to this effect was made following an inquiry.

The inquiry found that Gautam used to call the slain Al-Qaeda chief his idol and put up a picture of him in his office, Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam MD Amit Kishore told PTI.

The SDO was dismissed from service on Monday.

According to a senior departmental officer, Gautam had put up the picture when he was posted in Kayamganj subdivision-II of Farrukhabad district in June 2022.

After a video clip of his office room went viral, the Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam suspended the SDO and initiated an investigation.

A report from Farrukhabad quoting electricity department employees stated that Gautam used to idolise Bin Laden as he had an engineering degree.

In his order, UPPCL chairman Devraj stated Gautam used indecent language against higher officials, which is a sign of gross indiscipline.

“Him considering Osama bin Laden as the best engineer and pasting his photo in the office are signs of extreme indiscipline…. Despite being a public servant, he has done an anti-national act and an act which was against the corporation and has tarnished the image of the department,” according to the order.