Tainted AAI official posted back at Thiruvananthapuram international airport

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An Airports Authority of India (AAI) official who faced an adverse intelligence report has been posted as chief security officer at Thiruvananthapuram international airport. The state police intelligence had given a report in 2012 against then Chief Security Officer at Thiruvananthapuram international airport, Mr. I Noushad, regarding his nexus with a person accused of smuggling foreign liquor from the airport. An internal inquiry that was further conducted also recommended that he should be repatriated from the post of Chief Security Officer. Later he was shifted to Chennai airport.

Now Noushad has been again transferred to Thiruvananthapuram international airport as Chief Security Officer. He is likely to take charge soon, sources at the airport said. According to sources, positing an official with a tainted history as Chief Security Officer raises serious security concerns as many key responsibilities like issuing airport entry passes are vested with him. According to the state intelligence report dated November 8, 2012, a copy of which is with DC, one Sudheer arrested for smuggling foreign liquor from the duty free shop at the airport was issued an airport entry pass by Noushad, who was then Chief Security officer.

Even after the airport director refused to renew the entry pass to Sudheer, he reportedly influenced Noushad and got a new pass. Sudheer also used to enter restricted areas of the airport using a visitor’s pass, said the report. Based on this report, the AAI conducted an internal enquiry and recommended that Noushad should be repatriated from the Chief Security Officer post, said sources.