‘World’s best engineer’: UP power official expelled for putting Osama bin Laden’s photo in office

An officer of UP power distribution company was suspended on Wednesday (June 1) for placing the picture of Islamic terrorist Osama bin Laden in his office.

Along with the picture, the officer, Ravindra Prakash Gautam, sub-divisional officer (SDO) with the Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd (DVVNL), placed a note that read, “Respected Osama bin Laden, world’s best junior engineer.”

The senior officials took cognizance of the issue after the photos went viral on social media and suspended the SDO following an inquiry.

” Managing Director of DVVNL has suspended SDO Ravindra Prakash Gautam following an inquiry into the incident,” said Farrukhabad District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Singh.

Amit Kishore, MD of DVVNL said, “The act of the SDO falls in the category of ‘serious misconduct’ and calls for harsh disciplinary action. Following a primary investigation, the officer was suspended for violation of Uttar Pradesh Government Servants Conduct Manual, 1956. A detailed probe will be sent to the state government for further action. For now, the photo has been removed.”

Meanwhile, the suspended officer defended his move, saying, “Anyone can be idol. Osma was the best junior engineer of the world. The picture has been removed but I have its several copies.”

“I placed the photo around a month ago. Osama bin-Laden was a civil engineer and executed a mega plan without scope for failure. The picture was simply there for personal motivation — to set high targets and work meticulously to achieve them. My intention is not destructive. I am not a supporter of terrorism and have never indulged in anything unlawful. In fact, I take inspiration from missile man APJ Abdul Kalam, too, and have always had his picture and quote on display at my office,” Gautam told TOI.

Gautam’s colleagues said he had been suffering mental complications in the last few weeks, and one colleague added,” He recently put up wires around the office and passed current through them, saying this was needed to prevent a sudden attack. We had no idea what he meant.”