The State government has taken action against former Director General (Intelligence) A.B. Venkateswara Rao within 24 hours of receiving a report from the Director General of Police (DGP-Head of Police Force).
The DGP (HoPF) had sent a report to the government on the alleged misdeed and misconduct of Mr. Venkateswara Rao on February 7, and the government issued orders suspending the officer late on Saturday night.
The senior IPS officer of 1989 batch had resorted to gross misconduct while procuring security equipment when he worked as the Additional DGP and disciplinary action against the officer is pending, the order said.
The government has conducted a confidential inquiry against Mr. Venkateswara Rao on “irregularities in tenders, security breach, procedural lapses, ignoring the mandatory process in tenders and other formalities in procuring defence equipment and in awarding critical intelligence and surveillance contract to a private agency”.
Officers tight-lipped
The State government is likely to hand over the investigation against the DGP rank officer to the central investigation agency as an Israel-based defence equipment manufacturing firm was allegedly involved in the “fraud”.
Senior IPS officers and public representatives were tight-lipped on the action against the former DG.
A copy of the GO on suspension of Mr. Venkateswara Rao has been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi.
It is alleged that Venkateswara Rao wilfully disclosed intelligence protocols of the police to the company which could give access to the secrets of the State and use of sub-standard equipment by the police force could put them in a dangerous situation.
Representatives of the foreign defence equipment manufacturing company and another firm, mediators and other bureaucrats are likely to be booked, it is said.
