Andhra Anti-Corruption Bureau chief shifted, days after CM Jagan's rebuke
Just a few days after Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed displeasure over the functioning of the state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), the Andhra Pradesh government on Saturday transferred its chief Kumar Vishwajeet.
The YSRCP government has now appointed 1992 batch IPS officer P Sitharama Anjaneyulu in Vishwajeet's place. Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney issued an order posting Anjaneyulu, currently the Transport Commissioner, as Director General of ACB.
Anjaneyulu will hold full additional charge as Secretary of the AP Public Service Commission and also as Transport Commissioner.
Vishwajeet, an IPS officer of the 1994 batch, has been asked to report to the Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP).
Early last month, Vishwajeet was relieved of the additional charge he was holding as the state Intelligence head.
During a review meeting on the ACB the other day, the Chief Minister had pulled up the anti-graft wing, attached to the General Administration Department, saying its performance was not up to the mark.
Work without taking any offs or leaves, I want change in three months. Staff should fear taking bribes, the Chief Minister was said to have told the ACB authorities.
Proving right the speculation ever since, the ACB chief was abruptly removed.
Ever since taking charge, the state government has ordered for the suspension or transfer of several senior officials.
Last month, the YSRCP suspended senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Jasti Krishna Kishore over allegations of irregularities during his tenure as the CEO of the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB), after an internal report from the Industries Infrastructure, Investments and Commerce department.
In November, the sudden transfer of Chief Secretary L V Subramanyam had drawn flak from all quarters, as the move came following a tiff between officials in the Chief Minister's Office.
With inputs from PTI