VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has set aside the suspension of senior IPS officer and former intelligence chief AB Venkateswara Rao and directed the state government to reinstate him to the regular service.
The court gave the directions while dealing with a writ petition challenging the state government’s orders suspending him. The court also directed the government to pay his salary for the period of his suspension setting aside the directions given by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) to file a case against the senior IPS officer.
In February, DGO D Gautam Sawang submitted a report to the state government alleging AB Venkateswara Rao’s involvement in irregularities during the purchase of surveillance equipment from Israeli firm RT Inflatable Objects and awarding the contract to Akasam Advanced System Company, owned by Rao’s son.
Following the report, the state government suspended Rao under Rule 3 (1) of All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969 charging him with serious misconduct in the procurement of security equipment and indulging in acts amounting to treason.
However, Rao knocked the doors of CAT challenging the state government’s suspension which dismissed his petition and told the government to go ahead with the investigation by filing cases against the latter.
When contacted, sources close to AB Venkateswara Rao confirmed the development and said the state government may file a counter to the HC order to continue his suspension. “We will continue the fight against the YSRC government whose intention is purely personal,” said the sources.