Action against Andhra Pradesh SP over handling of case involving YSRCP leaders
The Andhra Pradesh government has transferred a superintendent of police and suspended seven police personnel.
The Andhra Pradesh government has transferred a superintendent of police and suspended seven police personnel in two different instances for allegedly adopting a lenient attitude towards the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders and social media workers involved in various cases.
According to the official order issued on Wednesday night after a cabinet meeting, Kadapa district superintendent of police V Harshavardhan Raju was transferred and asked to report to the DGP office. However, he was not given any posting for allegedly letting off a YSRCP activist in a case related to posting abusive comments on social media against chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and others.
Hours later, the Naidu government suspended seven police officials, including two sub-inspectors for allegedly according royal treatment to a YSRCP supporter by taking him to a restaurant and offering him biryani, though he was a remand prisoner.
The developments come within hours of Jana Sena Party (JSP) president and deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan raising the issue of callousness of the police in dealing with criminals and their soft stand towards the YSRCP activists who were involved in various cases.
People familiar with the matter said Kalyan told Naidu that the police were not acting tough against the YSRCP activists who were posting abusive messages targeting his family members, among others.
“Some officers have adopted a soft attitude towards the YSRCP leaders. These officers enjoyed good positions during the previous Jagan Mohan Reddy government and they still continue to hold important positions within the police department. They are now displaying indifference towards taking action against the YSRCP leaders and activists,” he said.
The actor-politician said he had to raise the issue in public at a rally in Pithapuram on Monday, questioning the lackadaisical attitude of some police officials. He alleged that these cops were yet to get out of the hangover of the previous government.
Hours after the cabinet meeting, Naidu directed chief secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad to transfer Kadapa SP Harshavardhan Raju, who was allegedly responsible for the immediate release of YSRCP social media activist Varra Ravindra Reddy from Pulivendula, hours after he was arrested in connection with a case of abusive postings on social media against Naidu, his son Nara Lokesh, APCC president YS Sharmila Reddy and others.
“Ravindra Reddy who is said to be close to Jagan’s family disappeared soon after the release, even before Rajampet police took him into custody in another case. Apparently, the Kadapa SP was under pressure from the top leaders of YSRCP to release him,” a TDP leader privy to the development said.
Late on Wednesday night, the Naidu government suspended seven police officials who gave royal treatment to YSRCP supporter and activist Borugadda Anil Kumar by taking him to a restaurant and provided him with biryani and other dishes.
Borugadda, who was in judicial remand, was being shifted from Guntur to Rajahmundry central jail after his remand was extended by another two weeks. En route, the police took him to a restaurant near Eluru, where he had biryani. The police, too, had shared the table with him in enjoying biryani.
As the videos of the police offering him biryani went viral, Guntur range IG Sarvasreshtha Tripathi ordered suspension of seven police personnel, including two sub-inspectors, one head constable and four constables. The IG warned that stringent action would be taken against the erring police officials, who would not act as per the law and violate the rules.