HYDERABAD: The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) bench, Hyderabad, on Friday refused to stay the order released by the Andhra Pradesh government suspending senior IPS officer AB Venkateswara Rao for his alleged involvement in the “irregularities” in the procurement of security equipment while he was working as additional director general of police from July 2015 to March 2019.
The bench directed the State government to file a counter-affidavit on the issue and posted the matter to February 24 for further hearing. The bench comprising member BV Sudhakar passed the order while considering the petition filed by Venkateswara Rao challenging his suspension by the AP government, vide GO 18 dated February 8.
In fact, the State government has no power to directly suspend an IPS officer. The order impugned is liable to be set aside since the rules mandate that a copy of suspension order along with reasons and grounds of suspension should be communicated to the Centre within 48 hours.
The government has passed the suspension orders in violation of Rule 3 of All India Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969 and principles of natural justice. Further, the government has failed to release the salary dues and other monetary benefits to the IPS officer since May 31 last year, he pointed out.