Officer who stopped Salman Khan at airport did 'nothing exceptional', says CISF; was neither penalised nor rewarded

The CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) has said that the officer who was caught on camera stopping actor Salman Khan at the Mumbai airport and ensuring that he gets a security clearance, was neither penalised nor rewarded. Reports suggested that the officer was taken to task, but these were soon shot down in a tweet by the CISF, which said that he'd been 'suitably rewarded for exemplary professionalism'.

Now, in a new interview, DIG Anil Pandey, Chief Public Relations Officer, CISF, said that the officer, ASI Somnath Mohanty, was simply following protocol and did 'nothing exceptional'.

He told a leading daily, “Someone shot a video of Salman Khan at the airport and a rumour was spread that the CISF personnel who stopped him was taken to task, hence we had to clarify on Twitter. It was ASI Somnath Mohanty who was on duty, and as per security protocol at the airport, he stopped Salman Khan and asked him to get security clearance. Every passenger has to go through the same procedure."

Asked about the officer being rewarded for his vigilance, he said, “The ASI on duty was not rewarded for stopping Salman Khan, but he was rewarded in internal assessment as the best performer. We have our internal reward mechanism. What ASI Mohanty did was a routine check, and nothing exceptional. Not just in Mumbai, but the CISF personnel at all the airports across the country follow the same procedure for airport check-ins of celebrities as for any other passenger.”

Earlier this week, the CISF shot down a news report claiming that the officer's phone had been confiscated to prevent him from speaking to the media. "The contents of this tweet are incorrect & without factual basis. In fact, the officer concerned has been suitably rewarded for exemplary professionalism in the discharge of his duty. @PIBHomeAffairs," the tweet read.

Also read: CISF officer who stopped Salman Khan at airport 'rewarded for exemplary professionalism', not penalised

The original video, shot by the paparazzi, showed Salman Khan departing the country to shoot Tiger 3 in Russia. As Salman walked towards the airport terminal, as if to enter it, the CISF officer in question stood in front of him and gestured for him to first get clearance from the security check point.