The YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh has served a show-cause notice to senior IPS officer and former Andhra Pradesh intelligence chief A B Venkateshwara Rao for addressing the media on the Pegasus spyware issue two weeks ago, violating the service rules.
The memo served by chief secretary Sameer Sharma on March 22, a day after Rao addressed the media in Vijayawada, came to light on Tuesday.
A 1989-batch IPS officer, Rao served as the state intelligence chief during the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) regime, before he was suspended on February 8, 2020 on charges of violation of rules after allegedly procuring security equipment from Israel during his tenure.
In the memo, the chief secretary said as per Rule 17 of the All-India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, no member of the service, shall, except with the prior permission of the government, has recourse to any court or the press for the vindication of an official act, which has been the subject matter of adverse criticism or attack of a defamatory character.
Sharma said Rao had contravened the provisions of the service rules and asked him to submit his explanation, if any, as to why disciplinary proceedings under All India Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1969 shall not be initiated against him.
{{/usCountry}}Sharma said Rao had contravened the provisions of the service rules and asked him to submit his explanation, if any, as to why disciplinary proceedings under All India Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1969 shall not be initiated against him.
{{/usCountry}}“If no reply is received within a week, it will be construed that Rao has no explanation to submit, and further action will be taken as per rules,” the memo said.
When contacted, Rao told HT that he had received the memo on March 27 and he submitted his explanation on Monday. “It is not appropriate for me to disclose the contents of my explanation, but I can only say that I have not violated any service rules. I have addressed the press conference well within my rights,” he said.
Addressing a press conference in Vijayawada on March 21, the former intelligence chief said neither the intelligence wing nor any other government department had procured or used the Pegasus spyware till April 2019, and he was not aware of what had happened after that.
He said since the people in Andhra Pradesh 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.
Rao said all allegations levelled against him regarding the procurement of surveillance equipment by the intelligence department and charges of treason were far from the truth.
He said a civil servant had the right to question 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 could 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.