High-Level Committee Formed to Investigate IRS Officers' Removal from Governor's Office
In a significant development, Lok Bhavan in Bhubaneswar has constituted a four-member high-level committee to thoroughly investigate allegations of misconduct involving its staff and two Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers. The committee was established on Friday following a controversial incident that occurred during a courtesy visit to the governor's office on Thursday.
Details of the Incident and Official Response
A Lok Bhavan official confirmed to media sources that the committee will conduct a comprehensive hearing from both sides involved in the matter and subsequently submit its detailed findings directly to the governor. "The committee will hear both sides and submit its findings to the governor," the official stated, emphasizing the impartial nature of the investigation.
The controversy stems from a written complaint lodged by D Sudhakara Rao, the principal chief commissioner of Income Tax in Odisha, with the governor's secretariat. In his complaint, Rao alleged that his officers—Manish Kumar and Satya Prakash Mishra—were forcibly removed from the governor's house premises in a police van and transported to the Capital police station.
Security Protocol Violations Revealed
Preliminary inquiries conducted by the Lok Bhavan office have revealed crucial security protocol violations. According to official statements, Mishra and Kumar had neither secured prior appointments nor obtained the necessary visitor passes required to enter the high-security zone of the governor's office.
"Five official passes were issued—for Rao, his wife, and three other IRS officers. However, Mishra insisted on accompanying his senior Manish Kumar to Lok Bhavan. Ignoring repeated advice from security personnel, he entered through Gate No. 3 without proper authorization and refused to vacate the office premises," explained the Lok Bhavan official. "Security staff, adhering strictly to established protocol, called a police van to escort them to the station."
The official further emphasized the critical security requirements, stating, "The governor's office is a restricted zone. As a Z+ protectee, strict security clearance is absolutely mandatory for all visitors." Despite these security measures, no formal trespass complaint has been filed against the officers at this time.
Previous Security Concerns and Officer's Complaint
Investigations have uncovered that this was not the first security concern involving Satya Prakash Mishra. It was learned that Mishra had allegedly attempted unauthorized entry to Lok Bhavan on October 25 of the previous year. The Capital police station had made a formal station diary entry (No. 008, dated October 31, 2025) against Mishra regarding this earlier incident.
According to the diary entry, which was reviewed by media sources, Mishra had approached security staff at Gate No. 7 and requested entry for individuals in two vehicles without proper authorization.
While Mishra and Kumar were unavailable for comment following the recent incident, Rao's written complaint provided their perspective. The complaint stated, "Despite coordinating the visit in advance and informing the OSD to the Hon'ble Governor and the ADC (Navy) of their presence in the waiting area, the officers were subjected to unprovoked and atrocious treatment."
IRS Community Reaction and Demands
The incident has sparked strong reactions from within the IRS community. Several IRS officers have demanded immediate action against Lok Bhavan staff members involved in the officers' removal. One officer expressed particular concern about the handling of the situation, stating, "Even if they lacked proper passes, treating them like terrorists and hauling them to a police station was excessive and disproportionate. This matter should never have been escalated to such an extreme level."
Attempts to reach D Sudhakara Rao for additional comments via telephone and messages were unsuccessful at the time of reporting. The high-level committee's investigation is expected to provide clarity on the sequence of events and determine appropriate actions based on its findings.
