Andhra Pradesh ACB registers case against suspended IAS officer

Amaravati, Dec 24 The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday registered a case against suspended senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer N. Sanjay for alleged misuse of funds.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led NDA government earlier ordered an ACB probe against Sanjay who served as the Director General of State Disaster Response and Fire Services and Chief of Crime Investigation Department (CID) under the previous government of YSR Congress Party.

The ACB inquiry against him was ordered on the basis of a report by the Vigilance and Enforcement (V&E) Department which looked into the allegations against the IPS officer.

The ACB had written to Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari seeking permission to initiate action against Sanjay under Section 17 A of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

After receiving the approval from the Chief Secretary, the ACB registered a case.

Sanjay, who is now the Additional Director General of Police, has been named as accused number one.

Sautrika Technologies Infra Private Ltd. and Kritvyap Technologies were listed as accused number two and three respectively.

There were allegations that the 1993-batch IPS officer was involved in certain irregularities while serving as Director General of State Disaster Response and Fire Services.

The V&E Department reportedly found misuse of funds to the tune of Rs 2 crore.

Sanjay had allegedly given a contract to Sautrika Technologies to operate the AGNI-NOC website, mobile app development and operation and supply of 150 tabs.

There are allegations that Rs 59.93 lakh were paid to the company without any work.

The IPS officer had also allegedly cleared payment of Rs 1.19 crore to Kritvyap Technologies on behalf of CID for organising programmes to create awareness among Dalits and tribals about the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Sanjay was suspended by the state government on December 4 for alleged violation of conduct rules.

The General Administration Department issued an order, placing the former CID Chief under suspension under Rule 3 (1) of All India Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1969.

The IPS officer was directed not to leave the headquarters.

During the previous YSR Congress Party government, Sanjay as the CID Chief supervised the probe into the cases related to the Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation scam and alignment of the Amravati Inner Ring Road against the then Leader of Opposition and TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu. These cases resulted in the arrest of Naidu who spent nearly two months in jail.

After Chandrababu Naidu assumed office as the Chief Minister in June following the electoral victory of TDP-led NDA, Sanjay was transferred and he was asked to report at the office of the DGP.

Source: IANS