Case against AP IRS officer for 'financial irregularities'

A criminal case was registered against Indian Revenue Service officer Jasti Krishna Kishore for "criminally misappropriating funds" and causing loss to the government exchequer to the tune of crores of rupees.

Kishore, who served as Chief Executive Officer of Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board during the previous regime from September 2015 on deputation to the state, was suspended from service on December 12 over serious financial irregularities.

The 1990-batch officer was actually expecting a promotion to the rank of Principal Commissioner of Income Tax and wanted the state government to relieve him from deputation.

However, a departmental inquiry ordered by the state government reportedly established several wrongdoings in the EDB when Kishore was at the helm and hence placed him under suspension, top official sources said.

State Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney, based on a report submitted by the Industries, Infrastructure and Investments Department, directed that the Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Crime Investigation Department (CID) register criminal cases against Kishore and initiate action within six months.

Accordingly, the CID registered the first case late on Sunday night on a complaint filed by EDB special grade deputy collector P Tulasi Rani, under sections 188, 403, 409 and 120 (B) of Indian Penal Code and also under the APEDB Act, 2018.

Former accounts officer in the EDB B Srinivasa Rao has also been named as an accused in the case.

The CID FIR said Kishore "violated the norms of financial propriety" in matters of procurement, payment of advances, audit and accounting and thereby "criminally misappropriated government funds."