Andhra Pradesh: Suspended IPS officer taken back into service, retires by evening
Former Andhra Pradesh intelligence chief AB Venkateshwara Rao reinstated as DGP hours before retirement. Suspended since 2020, faces pending criminal cases.
Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and former intelligence chief of Andhra Pradesh AB Venkateshwara Rao was reinstated in service on Friday, hours before his retirement on superannuation.
Chief secretary S Jawahar Reddy issued orders reinstating him in service and posted him as director general of police (DGP) in the department of printing and stationery, following a direction from the state high court on Thursday.
Rao had been under suspension since February 2020, except for a brief period of 11 days in June 2022, on the charges of procuring some security-related equipment like aerostat and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) from Israel during his tenure as the state intelligence chief between 2014 and 2019.
The chief secretary, while revoking Rao’s suspension, said the state government, on overall consideration of the entire issue, considered that it is equitable and fair that the officer be reinstated into service immediately.
“The government decided to give him appropriate postings so as to enable him to retire on the day of superannuation. However, the reinstatement is subject to clearance of the criminal cases pending against him,” Jawahar Reddy said.
Soon after receiving the posting orders, the 1989-batch IPS officer took charge in the department of printing and stationery in Vijayawada around noon and laid down the office in the evening.
Addressing the office staff on retiring from the service, Rao thanked all his supporters and colleagues who had stood by him in troubled times. “I always stood by justice and performed my duty with dedication and commitment. I shall continue to be in the service of the people even after my retirement,” he said.
Rao, who was suspended from service on February 8, 2020, fought a prolonged legal battle with the government to get reinstated in his service. While the case against him is still on, the high court on Thursday granted him relief, directing that the government take him back into service.
“The reinstatement will not preclude the petitioner from proceeding with criminal action. Hence, we are of the view that appropriate orders will be passed after filing of the counter affidavit by Rao,” the high court said.