In a big relief to senior IPS officer and former intelligence chief of AP A B Venkateshwar Rao, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on Wednesday revoked his suspension on disciplinary grounds.
The CAT, which reserved its judgement after hearing the arguments on his petition filed by ABV challenging his suspension, also directed the state government to pay all arrears to him and take him into service.
ABV was suspended for a second time on disciplinary grounds for speaking to media on the case pending against him stating that it was against the service rules.
Earlier, the Supreme Court cancelled his suspension in April 2022, stating that the continuation of suspension for more than two years was against the principles of natural justice.
Stating that Rao cannot be kept under suspension beyond the stipulated period of two years, the Supreme Court bench ordered that he should be taken back into service immediately.
The Supreme Court also directed that Venkateshwara Rao is eligible for salary and allowances with effect from February 7, 2022, the date on which his suspension period ended.
In May 2022, the Jagan government revoked ABV’s suspension and reinstated him in service after more than two years. He was asked to report to the General Administration Department until further orders.
However, the government did not give him any posting and kept him waiting without paying him any salary. Later, he was suspended again on the charges that he had violated service rules by speaking to media.
ABV challenged the second-time suspension in the CAT. After prolonged arguments, the CAT ruled that suspending an IPS officer for a second time is against the rules. Hence, it revoked the suspension.
The 1989-batch IPS officer, who served as the state intelligence chief during the previous Telugu Desam Party regime, had been under suspension since February 8, 2020, on the charges of violation of rules in procuring some security equipment from Israel during his tenure.