Director General of Police-rank officer and former Intelligence chief of Andhra Pradesh AB Venkateswara Rao on Thursday challenged his recent suspension in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).
The Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP government had accused Rao of serious misconduct in the process of procuring security equipment. The officer was accused of disclosing intelligence protocols to an Israeli defence manufacturing firm.
In his complaint to the CAT, Rao said that his suspension was 'politically motivated' and sought that the Government Order (GO) be negated.
According to reports, he also said that he had not been paid his salary since May last year. The tribunal is expected to take his case up for hearing soon.
After his suspension last week, Rao had issued a statement and said that the news of his suspension had not disturbed him in any way and said that there was no need to worry. At the time, he had also said that he was exploring legal options available to him.
According to the state government, Rao while working as Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) during the the Telugu Desam Party's (TDP) tenure, colluded with Israeli defence equipment manufacturer RT Inflatables Pvt Ltd to illegally award critical Intelligence and surveillance contract to his son Chetan Sai Krishna, CEO, Akasam Advanced Systems Pvt Ltd, primary bidder on behalf of RT Inflatables.
"This proves a direct co-relation between the accused officer and a foreign defence manufacturing firm, thus establishing a direct breach of ethical code of conduct and Rule (3)(a) of All India Service (Conduct) Rules, 1968," a report submitted by Director General of Police (DGP) Gautham Sawang stated.
Rao was considered close to Naidu and was shunted out as the intelligence chief by the Election Commission on the eve of the elections on a complaint by then opposition YSRCP.
After being shunted out by the Election Commission, Rao was heading the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) till May when YSRCP came to power. He was transferred but was not given any posting.
IANS inputs