Andhra ex-intelligence chief accuses Jagan govt of witch hunt, fears arrest

Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and former intelligence chief of Andhra Pradesh A B Venkateshwara Rao on Tuesday accused the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government with hatching a conspiracy to fabricate a criminal case against him and arrest him.

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In a letter to the secretary of IPS Officers’ Association, AP chapter, Rao said he had reliable information that the state government had decided to fabricate a criminal case against him and arrest him without giving him an opportunity to even to get anticipatory bail.

“The government wants to suspend me again on the basis of being in judicial remand for 48 hours or more,” he said in the letter.

Rao, who served as state intelligence chief during the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) regime, was suspended on February 8 last year for his alleged irregularities in procurement of security equipment from an Israeli company during his tenure.

The Jagan government, which entrusted the case to Anti-Corruption Bureau, alleged that Rao had wilfully disclosed intelligence protocols and procedures of police to the foreign defence manufacturing firm.

Rao challenged his suspension in the Central Administrative Tribunal on February 13, but the CAT dismissed his petition in March. Later, he moved the high court, which revoked his suspension in July. The AP government challenged this order in the Supreme Court, which lifted stay on his suspension in November, pending inquiry.

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In his letter to the IPS Officers’ Association, the ex-intelligence chief alleged that he was being harassed, humiliated and victimised by the state government. “I was shifted from the post of Director General, ACB and kept without posting or salary for seven months. Later, I was suspended following a case registered by the CID,” he said.

Rao asked the IPS Officers’ Association to convene a meeting of general body of the association and intervene in the matter in a way deemed fit. “I am not seeking any favours from the association but seeking attention as it is only a case of harassment by the government,” he said.

He said he would explain his version at the general body meeting of the association and clarify all the doubts of the members. “I will leave it to the wisdom of the general body to come to any conclusion and take a decision whether to intervene and if so, in what manner,” he said, adding that he only wanted a fair and impartial inquiry into the allegations made against him.