Venkateswara Rao, a 1989 batch officer, was put under suspension late on Saturday.
Highlights
- Venkateswara Rao was put under suspension on late on Saturday
- He allegedly colluded with Israel firm to illegally award contract to son
- Mr Rao is considered close to former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu
A senior IPS officer in Andhra Pradesh has been placed under suspension for "serious misconduct" during the process of procuring security equipment when he was the Additional Director of Police.
The government order, issued late on Saturday, said that AB Venkateswara Rao, a senior IPS officer of the rank of Director General of Police, had endangered national security by "willfully disclosing intelligence protocols and procedures of the police to foreign defence manufacturing firm".
During his suspension, Mr Rao, a 1989 batch officer, will be posted at Vijayawada and he cannot leave the city without obtaining permission from the government.
NDTV has accessed the documents on the probe relating to the matter. The report states that Mr Rao colluded with an Israeli defence equipment manufacturer called RT Inflatables Private Limited to illegally award critical intelligence and surveillance contract to his son Chetan Sai Krishna. His son was the CEO of Akasam Advanced Systems Pvt. Ltd, which was the primary bidder on behalf of RT Inflatables Pvt. Ltd. The details, thus establish a direct breach of ethical code of conduct and All India Service rules.
The document claims that Mr Rao actions "could critically hamper security situation as use of sub-standard equipment by police force may put them in a dangerous situation, through access to state secrets and potential monopoly over future procurements of Andhra Pradesh police due to access to insider information''.
All this "was done for pecuniary gain involving his son by raising a proxy company to make monetary gains", the report adds.
Mr Rao, considered the ''Man Friday'' of former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, was removed as the Intelligence chief after the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy took charge on May 30 last year. Ever since, he has not been given a posting.
Mr Rao, in a statement, said that he was exploring legal options. "I am not distressed by it, so don't worry about it. I am exploring legal options. Truth will be revealed in due course," he said.
The Telugu Desam party has alleged that the ruling party is taking political revenge by targeting the officer though the government insists the suspension is based on evidence gathered through investigation.
