Top cop AB Venkateswara Rao moves CAT against suspension order

Hyderabad: Suspended additional DGP A.B Venkateswara Rao knocked on the doors of the Central Administrative Tribunal on 13 February urging it to declare that his suspension is against the rules and guidelines.

Mr Rao has stated that he has not been paid his salary since 31 May last year. He said the AP government suspended him on the basis of baseless allegations. He urged the CAT to scrap the suspension orders as it was issued under political pressure. Mr Rao is the second All-India Service (AIS) officer to challenge the suspension orders from the Andhra Pradesh government.

It may be recalled that former economic development board (EDB) CEO, Jasti Krishna Kishore, has also approached the CAT over his suspension. It may be noted that the CID has shown some progress in the case registered against the suspended official. The CID's preliminary investigation identified a corruption case worth Rs. 1 crore in the purchase of stationery.

The CID found that only three companies have participated in the tenders and out of them, the same company was always the successful bidder. The CID sleuths, suspecting that the remaining two companies are part of a syndicate, started following that angle. The CID has registered cases against Jasti Krishna Kishore under Sections 188, 403, 409, and 120(B). However, the Central Administrative Tribunal ( CAT) has awarded a stay on his suspension.

In Mr Rao's case, the government has alleged that he violated the protocol of trust and leaked information to private people which attracts conspiracy against the state. Meanwhile, senior officers in the AP police department are tight-lipped over the ongoing developments.