Home Ministry confirms suspension of AP DGP-rank IPS officer

The Union Home Ministry on Saturday confirmed the suspension of Andhra Pradesh's former intelligence chief A B Venkateswara Rao and directed the state government to issue a chargesheet against the Director General of Police-rank officer by April 7.

On Feb 8, the state government placed Rao, a 1989-batch IPS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, under suspension based on a report by DGP (Head of Police Force) Gautam Sawang alleging "serious misconduct" in the procurement of security equipment.

On Feb 13, Rao approached the Central Administrative Tribunal, challenging his suspension but did not get any relief.

As the CAT reserved its verdict in the case, the Home Ministry communicated in a letter to Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney on Saturday that the "competent authority has decided to confirm the suspension of A B Venkateswara Rao as per the 3rd proviso to Rule 3(1) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969."
A leaked confidential report on Rao, considered the 'Man Friday' of former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, said, "Rao wilfully disclosed intelligence protocols and procedures of police to a foreign defence manufacturing firm. This is a direct threat to national security as intelligence protocols are standard throughout the Indian Police Force."