VIJAYAWADA: Suspended IPS officer AB Venkateswara Rao, who was the intelligence chief during the previous TDP regime, on Monday asserted that neither the intelligence wing nor any other government department had procured or used the Pegasus spyware till April 2019.
Amid the ongoing controversy over the Chandrababu Naidu-led regime allegedly buying the spyware from Israeli firm NSO, Venkateswara Rao said the people of the State were in a state of fear and anguish over the ongoing developments, and the responsibility to clear the air on the Pegasus issue lies with the State government.
“As the chief of intelligence during the previous regime, I assure you that no government department had bought the spyware till April 2019. I don’t know what happened after that,” he told reporters at a press briefing in Vijayawada, soon after Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram said a House Committee will be constituted to probe the Pegasus issue.
Venkateswara Rao said all allegations leveled against him regarding the procurement by the intelligence department and charges of treason against him were far from the truth. “I have worked for 30 years in the service of the nation. Allegations have been made that I resorted to treason and shared secrets with other countries. None of the allegations made against me was made part of the charge memo issued against me. This is nothing but character assassination and mudslinging,’’ he said.
The senior IPS officer said he has sought permission from the government to file a defamation suit against some Telugu media platforms, and YSRC MLAs and an MP for levelling baseless allegations against him.
Venkateswara Rao said people should not think that a civil servant cannot defend himself and question government policies and decisions. “I am bound by All India Service (AIS) rules, but this does not mean that someone can point fingers at me. No one should think that a civil servant does not have self-respect. If one does not have self-respect, he cannot perform the duties of a civil servant,’’ he said.
He added that the AIS rules can defend the officials if a private person makes some allegations against them. “If civil servants have to work under such a state of fear, how can they rise to the occasion at the time of crisis?” he questioned.
“Do not forget that I am a human being first, then a civil servant. I didn’t come from Nagaland or Punjab. I am born and brought up here. I have self-respect and self-esteem,’’ he said and added that he had a track record of working in 10 districts and twice as Vijayawada City Police Commissioner, and there was never an instance of corruption charge against him.