15 March,2011 07:22 AM IST | | Mohit Sharma
The young minister was allegedly abandoned by his security personnel and had to return to his residence unprotected from a party at Aurangzeb Road on Friday. His security has now been revamped
He is one of India's youngest and most promising politicians. And the Congress party and many concerned citizens would feel that he deserves better security cover than this incident of last Friday illustrates.
Two minds: Congress leader Sachin Pilot with wife Sara. File pic
In an apparent case of recklessness shown by Delhi police security personnel, five of them were reportedly suspended after they abandoned their protectee - Minister of state for Communications and IT, Sachin Pilot (who enjoys Z category security) - when the Congress leader had gone to attend a party at Aurangzeb Road.
Sources in the Delhi police said that on Friday, Sachin Pilot reportedly called Police Commissioner BK Gupta, complaining about the unprofessional attitude of his men after he couldn't locate the personnel deputed for his security anywhere when he came out of the venue.
"Sachin Pilot had gone to attend the party and was inside the venue. Meanwhile, the security officials of his 'escort' vehicle who were on duty to secure the minister wherever he goes too went missing," police sources said. Sources said when Pilot found both his escort cars missing, he waited for a few minutes outside and then returned to his house in his car along with his driver. After returning to his house, the minister reported the matter to the Commissioner of Delhi Police.
"Five security personnel - four constables and one hawaldar who were deputed with Pilot's escort vehicle were suspended by the senior Delhi police officials and a departmental inquiry will be initiated against them," police sources added.
Besides, the entire staff of the minister's security has now been replaced after senior police officers discussed the matter. Even though Special Commissioner of Police, security, Vimla Mehra confirmed the matter, she refused to comment any further. "I will not be able to speak on such issues," she told MiD DAY.
Sources, meanwhile, said the internal inquiry is expected to be initiated soon and the matter is being looked into directly under the supervision of senior police officers. Meanwhile, an official from Pilot's ministry, on condition of anonymity, said: "Delhi Police Commissioner BK Gupta took prompt action in the matter and we have no grievances against the police. It was a very small matter and adequate action was taken."
On guard
Police sources spoke to MiD DAY about the different categories of security provided to VIPs.
Z+ category consists of six personal security officers (PSO), two head constables, twelve constables, one escort vehicle and a pilot vehicle. Z category (which Sachin Pilot is entitled to) consists of three PSOs, two head constables, eight constables, one escort and one pilot vehicle at a time. Sources added that a VIP who has Y category security has two PSOs, one head constable and four constables while X category has just two PSOs allocated.u00a0
Young Turk
Sachin Pilot (born 7 September 1977) is a Member of Parliament. He represents the Ajmer constituency of Rajasthan and is a member of the Congress party. He is presently the Minister of State in the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. Sachin Pilot was born in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, to Rajesh Pilot of village Baidpura District, Ghaziabad now Gautam Budh Nagar (Noida) and Rama Pilot.
He went to Air Force Bal Bharati School in New Delhi and then completed his BA (Hons) degree from St Stephens College, Delhi University. While in college, Pilot was the captain of the college shooting team. He then studied at IMT Ghaziabad. He worked for 2 years for General Motors and then went to study at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, US. On returning to India, Sachin Pilot was inducted into the Congress party on the 10th ofu00a0 February 2002. On 13 May 2004, Sachin Pilot was elected to the 14th Lok Sabha from the Dausa Parliamentary Constituency of Rajasthan, with a margin of over 1.2 lakh votes. On 16 May 2009, he was elected to the 15th Lok Sabha from the Ajmer Constituency. He had to shift his constituency due to delimitation. He defeated Bharatiya Janata Party's Kiran Maheshwari by a margin of over 76,000 votes. At 26 years he became the youngest Member of Parliament in the country. He is a member of the Parliament's Standing Committee on Home Affairs. He is also a member of the consultative committee in the ministry of Civil Aviation.
Pilot has been made a Minister of State in the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, a portfolio similar to the one held by his late father Rajesh Pilot when he held the same post as an independent charge in the early nineties in the Narasimha Rao government.
