AP government lifts ABV suspension and announces appointment

The Andhra Pradesh government had on Friday lifted the suspension of senior IPS officer AB Venkateswara Rao. Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy issued an order lifting the suspension. Jawahar Reddy also issued an order appointing Venkateswara Rao as Commissioner of Printing and Stationery. He is scheduled to retire on Friday evening, a few hours after his reinstatement.

The government had suspended him for misconduct and embezzlement in the purchase of telephone tapping devices for the state government in the name of his son. It was alleged that Venkateswara Rao procured the devices during the TDP government between 2014 and 2019.

Venkateswara Rao challenged his suspension in the AP High Court, which ruled in his favour. The state government then approached the Supreme Court, which also ruled in his favour. The government then reinstated him as Commissioner of Printing and Stationery.

A week later, the state government suspended him on the same charges. He then approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which said that the suspension for the second time on the same grounds was incorrect. The CAT also directed the state government to reinstate Venkateswara Rao. The state government then approached the Supreme Court against the CAT’s orders. The Supreme Court upheld the orders and directed the state to reinstate Venkateswara Rao.

Following the court orders, Venkateswara Rao visited the Chief Secretary at the Secretariat in Velagapudi and handed over the court orders to him. Following this, Jawahar Reddy issued an order on Friday revoking the suspension of Venkateswara Rao. He also issued another order appointing Venkateswara Rao as the Commissioner of Printing and Stationery.

Venkateswara Rao retires this evening after joining the ministry. He was suspended for five years and was denied any post during the YSR Congress government.