A Mumbai-based actor complained about being harassed by the Andhra Pradesh police during the rule of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government.
Three IPS officers in Andhra Pradesh, one of Director-General rank, another Inspector General and a third of Superintendent rank, have been suspended following the complaint of a Mumbai-based actress, alleging her illegal arrest and detention. P S R Anjaneyulu (DG Rank), Kanthi Rana Tata (IG Rank) and Vishal Gunni (SP Rank) are the three senior officers who have been suspended.
A Mumbai-based actor complained about being harassed by the Andhra Pradesh police during the rule of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government on the complaint of a YSR Congress leader who had accused her of scamming him in a land-related case. The actor and her family members were arrested earlier this year.
She accused the police officials of threatening her with dire consequences during the previous government if she did not withdraw a case she earlier filed against a top executive of a corporation in Mumbai.
The Andhra Pradesh police probed the allegations and issued orders of suspension against the 1992, 2004 and 2010 batch officers, alleging procedural lapses, dereliction of duty and misconduct. The officers were suspended under Rule 3 (1) of the All India Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1969.
P S R Anjaneyulu, who was a state intelligence chief back then, has been charged with calling over Kanthi Rana Tata and Vishal Gunni and directing the arrest of the actress on January 31, even before the FIR was booked on February 2. The suspension order says Mr Anjaneyulu is accused of abusing his authority and official position, to fast-track the investigation without adequate scrutiny, which the order says is “connivance and misuse of power”. The order states the act of Anjaneyulu amounts to grave misconduct, misuse of official position and dereliction of duty.
Kanthi Rana Tata, the former Vijayawada commissioner, has been charged with failing to properly supervise the investigation and issuing orders for arresting the actress on oral instructions from his superior on January 31 even before the FIR was filed two days later.
He had reportedly ordered the booking of tickets for the police officers to fly to Mumbai for the arrest just an hour after the FIR, without proper written orders or due diligence.