The Chief Security Officer of Andhra Pradesh Raj Bhavan Mohammed Shokat Ali on Wednesday denied an Indian Express report in which he was reported to have revealed that former governor N D Tiwari's Officer on Special Duty Aryendra Sharma ‘exclusively handled' the visits of the women featuring on the alleged sex sting tape.
Ali denied having given interview about the episode to anybody.
In the Indian Express report, the Chief Security Officer had reportedly told the newspaper: “A record of each visitor's name and address, entry and exit is kept, but in the case of these women, this was only on paper. Their visits were exclusively handled by OSD Aryendra Sharma. Overriding security protocol and security officers, Sharma would inform the checkpost at the gates and security that such and such car belonging to the Raj Bhavan's Motor Transport Department carrying ‘guests' of the Governor should be allowed inside without security or identification checks.”
According to Indian Express, Ali had said: “The OSD himself gave the orders, we had no say. Sometimes, security checkposts were informed that ‘family members' were coming in, at other times it was ‘guests'. No one dared to check or verify. These cars went out or came in sometimes late in the night.”
Aryendra Sharma in a phone-in to India TV however denied the chief security officer's allegations saying that he was not handling security in Raj Bhavan. “Security in Raj Bhavan is an elaborate process and it cannot be subjected to the whims and fancies of a single individual”.
Sharma said he was yet to read the Indian Express report and he would come out with a detailed clarification later.
The Indian Express had reported Ali having said that security during Tiwari's term was reduced to providing pilot and escort to the Governor when he ventured out. “What happened inside Raj Bhavan was all handled by the OSD.” This is in sharp contrast to procedure, say Raj Bhavan officials.
“Getting an appointment with the Governor is a long process. Usually requests are forwarded to the Intelligence Bureau. Only after Intelligence clears them, is an appointment given. Appointments are not given to everyone who wants to meet the Governor, especially persons with no particular purpose. The Officer on Special Duty makes arrangements usually for guests visiting Raj Bhavan,” said Press Secretary to Governor S P S Raja.
