The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on Wednesday (08.05.2024) dismissed the suspension of senior IPS officer A B Venkateswara Rao (IPS:1989:AP) by the Andhra Pradesh government. The Tribunal also directed the state government to pay all arrears and reinstate him into service.
Venkateswara Rao was placed under suspension by the state government in 2019. He challenged the suspension in the High Court, which ruled in his favor, directing the state government to reinstate him. Following the court orders, the state government posted him as commissioner of printing and stationary. However, within two days of his reinstatement, the government placed him under suspension once again for speaking to the media.
The government suspended Venkateswara Rao on the charges of corruption in purchase of surveillance equipment by the state government during the TDP regime. He also challenged the government’s decision in the court and later in the CAT. The CAT found his suspension invalid and directed the state government to give him posting. The Tribunal clarified that an all-India service officer cannot be suspended twice for the same charges.
