Andhra Pradesh: IPS officer A.B. Venkateswara Rao meeets CS over reinstatement 

VIJAYAWADA

Senior IPS officer A.B. Venkateswara Rao met Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma on Friday and sought his reinstatement as per the Supreme Court order and payment of salaries and perks due to him. 

Mr. Venkateswara Rao, who was Director-General of Police (Intelligence) at the time of suspension in February 2020, furnished a copy of the apex court judgment to the Chief Secretary and requested him to facilitate the resumption of his duties. 

He later told the media that the Chief Secretary promised to process the report submitted by him. 

The Supreme Court had last week dismissed the SLP through which the State government challenged the setting aside of the suspension by the High Court, by ruling that it (suspension) could be for a maximum of two years as per the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Amendment Rules, 2015. Since the two-year period was over, the suspension could no longer be continued, the apex court said in its judgment. 

An IPS officer of the 1989 batch, Mr Venkateswara Rao was accused of misusing his authority in the procurement of surveillance equipment. 

Also, the government went on record by casting suspicion on him on the floor of the Legislative Assembly during the recent budget session that he had a role in the purchase of Pegasus spyware too, which he vehemently denied.