VIJAYAWADA: The High Court on Wednesday issued notices on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by retired IPS officer AB Venkateswara Rao, seeking a CBI probe into transformer procurement made by APSPDCL since 2021, alleging a criminal conspiracy behind the purchases.
The petition urged the court to restrain authorities from issuing further purchase orders and to halt all tender-related processes until the matter is decided. It also sought directions to submit complete tender records and to seize and test transformers supplied by Shirdi Sai Electricals through authorised agencies to verify quality and efficiency standards.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Challa Guna Ranjan heard the case. Senior counsel B Adinarayana Rao, appearing for the petitioner, argued that eligible contractors were sidelined and prices were inflated.
Advocate General Dammalapati Srinivas, representing the State, opposed the plea, stating that the firm has been supplying transformers without complaints since 2022 and questioned the intent behind the PIL. The bench directed the State authorities and the company to file counters.