Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) commandant Dharmveer Yadav, who was the security in-charge at Patna's Jayaprakash Narayan International (JPNI) Airport where his personnel had clashed with supporters of Union minister Giriraj Singh a few weeks ago, has been transferred.

Yadav will swap posts with Amritsar airport commandant Vishal Dubey, who has taken charge in Patna.

Both officers were asked to take charge in their new places of posting 'immediately without availing joining time' in the transfer order issued on September 16. The letter further said 'the competent authority has approved the posting of the officers with immediate effect'.

Along with Yadav and Dubey, officers heading airport security units at Jaipur and Ahmedabad were also transferred.

Yadav was transferred a little over a week after CISF personnel clashed with supporters of Giriraj, the Union minister of micro, small and medium enterprises, at Patna airport on September 7.

A few hundred of Giriraj's supporters were forcibly trying to enter the restricted zone near the airport terminal building when they were stopped by the CISF personnel. This touched off a heated exchange of words which snowballed into a scuffle in which several passengers were also heckled.

The supporters had gathered at the airport to welcome Giriraj, who had just been elevated as minister of state with independent charge in the Union cabinet shuffle of September 3. Giriraj's supporters turned unruly despite the Airports Authority of India (AAI) issuing 22 visitor permits, which allowed them free access into the airport terminal building. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Rules state that an MP, eligible to airport entry pass, can take only one companion as visitor.

The CISF, however, denied that commandant Yadav's transfer was linked to the clash, saying it was 'routine'. 'The officer (Yadav) has been transferred as he has completed two years of his tenure in Patna and his transfer was due,' a CISF official said on the condition of anonymity.

Giriraj's brush with officials of Patna airport dates back to 2006 when the then director, Atul Dikshit, had refused to entertain his request for an arbitrary number of visitor passes for his supporters allowing them access to the terminal building. However, Dikshit had to later apologise after Giriraj, then a member of the Bihar Legislative Council, moved a privilege motion against him for alleged misbehaviour. Dikshit is currently director of the Calcutta airport.