VIJAYAWADA : The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday transferred two senior IPS officers, DG (Intelligence) P Sitaramanjaneyulu and Vijayawada city commissioner of police Kanthi Rana Tata, following complaints against them by the Opposition parties. The ECI said the two officers should not be assigned any election related duties. They have been transferred with immediate effect.
While Sitaramanjaneyulu is a 1992-batch officer, Rana is from the 2004 batch. The ECI has asked the Chief Secretary to submit a panel of three officers along with their APAR grading for the last five years and Vigilance Clearance, to replace the officers who have been transferred.
Following the attack on Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy during his ‘Memanta Siddham’ roadshow in Vijayawada, Rana came under Opposition criticism. The Opposition took exception to the manner in which the case was investigated and the dragging of TDP supporters into the issue.
The investigation pointed to the role of a TDP leader from Vijayawada Central constituency who was picked up and later let off after probe. The YSRC targeted former MLA and TDP’s Vijayawada Central candidate Bonda Umamaheswara Rao for the attack.
Intelligence chief accused of tapping phones of Oppn leaders
The TDP had lodged complaints against the intelligence chief, alleging that the officer was indulging in tapping phones of Opposition leaders.
It may be recalled that the ECI on April 2 had transferred nine IAS and IPS officers and put them away from election-related duties.
Incidentally, the poll panel had transferred AB Venkateswara Rao, the then intelligence chief, before the 2019 general elections following a series of complaints by the YSRC, who was at the time the Opposition party in the State.