The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has revoked the suspension of a senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) Jasti Krishna Kishore on Tuesday, according to reports. The CAT also directed the Andhra Pradesh government to repatriate the IRS officer to his parent department, the Central Board of Direct Taxes. However, the relief is partial, as he still faces the probe conducted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Crime Investigation Department.

Krishna Kishore was suspended by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government earlier in December for alleged irregularities in the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB). He was the CEO of APEDB, on deputation.

The IRS officer was reportedly former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s close confidante. He was also among the team of officials who had investigated the alleged disproportionate assets case against Jagan in 2010, when he was in the income tax department.

In 2010, the Income Tax (IT) department had conducted raids on Jagati publications, owned by Jagan, and levied a heavy tax of Rs 122.78 crore after the probe.

The 1990-batch officer, who was the additional commissioner of the IT department until 2014, was appointed as the CEO of APEDB under Naidu’s tenure.

However, after Jagan came into power in May, Krishna allegedly faced harassment from the government as they shunned pleas to relieve him, and also reportedly did not pay his salaries. 

Subsequently in December, the government suspended him with immediate effect, after a probe reported irregularities in APEDB under his control. Cases were also registered against him by the ACB and CID. His suspension kicked up a political row, with the Opposition party, the TDP, calling it a political vendetta. 

Krishna Kishore comes from a family of legal experts. Both his parents — Jasti Eswara Prasad and Jasti Chamanti — are legal practitioners. His father was a former High Court judge.