Nearly a month after reinstating senior IPS officer and former intelligence chief of Andhra Pradesh A B Venkateshwar Rao in service, the Jagan Mohan Reddy government on Wednesday gave him posting – an insignificant one, that.
State chief secretary Sameer Sharma issued a government order (GO RT No. 1115), posting Venkateswara Rao as Commissioner, Printing. Stationery & Stores Purchase Department.
The posting is considered to be a loop line post with no powers and money and is generally attached to a senior official of the home department.
Hitherto, special chief secretary (home) G Vijay Kumar was holding the Full Additional Charge of this posting.
It remains to be seen whether Venkateshwara Rao will accept the posting and join the duty or go on long leave.
Following a Supreme Court order, upholding the high court judgement revoking his suspension, the state government reinstated Venkateshwar Rao in service on May 18.
He reported to duty on May 19. Since then, he had been kept in waiting without any posting.
Venkateshwara Rao wrote to the chief secretary twice and even tried to meet him personally, but he did not get the audience. On Thursday, he wrote yet another letter to Sameer Sharma asking for posting.
He said he had written several letters and reminders, quoting the high court and Supreme Court directions, but they have not been implemented so far.
“Even though my suspension was revoked erroneously, with effect from February 8, 2022, the same was not given effect to by posting me to a substantive post till now,” he said, adding that he was not even allowed to draw salary and other allowances.
The Supreme Court on April 22 ordered that the state government revoke Venkateshwara Rao’s suspension and directed that the state government take him back into service immediately.
