Troubles continue to haunt senior IPS officer and former state intelligence chief A B Venkateshwara Rao, even more than two years after his suspension from service for his alleged acts of omission and commission during the Telugu Desam Party regime.
The Jagan Mohan Reddy government served him a memo for going to the press against the service rules.
The memo was issued by chief secretary Sameer Sharma on Tuesday, asking Venkateshwara Rao as to why he had addressed a press conference on March 21 on various issues in contravention of the Rule 6 of the All India Services Rules.
The memo was issued within a day of Venkateshwara Rao holding a press conference in Vijayawada on May 21, but it surfaced more than two weeks after the press conference was held, where he declared that the previous TDP government had not purchased Pegasus spyware.
Apparently, the Jagan government took serious note of the former intelligence chief’s comments that a civil servant had the right to question the government policies.
“People should not think that a civil servant cannot defend himself and question government policies and decisions,” he said.
He also pointed out that though he was bound by All India Service (AIS) rules, it did not mean that someone can point fingers at him.
“No one should think that a civil servant does not have self-respect. If one does not have self-respect, he cannot perform the duties of a civil servant,’’ he said.
Sameer Sharma said it was wrong on the part of Venkateshwara Rao to address a press conference without taking prior permission from the government.
He warned of stringent disciplinary action against him if he did not give satisfactory explanation to the memo within seven days of its receipt.
It is not immediately known what reply Venkateshwara Rao had given and what follow up action the government had taken.
The former intelligence chief told the reporters that neither the intelligence wing nor any other government department had procured or used the Pegasus spyware till April 2019.
He said since the people of the State were in a state of fear and anguish over the issue, the responsibility to clear the air on the Pegasus issue lies with the State government.
Venkateswara Rao said all allegations levelled against him regarding the procurement of surveillance equipment by the intelligence department and charges of treason against him were far from the truth.
The senior IPS officer said he has sought permission from the government to file a defamation suit against some Telugu media platforms, and YSRC MLAs and an MP for levelling baseless allegations against him.
He added that the AIS rules can defend the officials if a private person makes some allegations against them.
“If civil servants have to work under such a state of fear, how can they rise to the occasion at the time of crisis?” he questioned.
