The Andhra Pradesh government has suspended three senior IPS officers in connection with a complaint by Mumbai-based actress Kadambari Jethwani, who alleged wrongful arrest and confinement by the police.
The controversial conduct by the IPS officers happened in February this year when the YSR Congress Party was in power. The senior cops were allegedly close to the ruling party bigwigs and executed the orders from their political masters. Following the change of guard in the state with the Telugu Desam Party coming to power in June, the actions of the controversial officers came under scrutiny.
Former intelligence chief PSR Anjaneyulu, former Vijayawada police commissioner Kranti Rana Tata, and former Vijayawada deputy commissioner Vishal Gunni were the three IPS officers who were issued suspension orders signed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
They were suspended under rule 3(1) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.
Jethwani had complained with the NTR District Police Commissioner in the first week of August, alleging that the three officers acted in haste after YSRCP leader and film producer K V Vidyasagar Rao made accusations of forgery and extortion against her.
In her complaint, Jethwani alleged that police arrested her and her father and brought them to Vijayawada, where they were kept confined for three days before being produced in court. The court subsequently granted them bail.
She alleged that both of them were subject to mental torture by the police officers.
The AP Police chief ordered a probe after getting her complaint. The action against the three IPS officers is based on this probe, officials said.
The FIR filed based on her complaint also mentioned Assistant Commissioner Hanumanthu Rao and Ibrahimpatnam Circle Inspector Ibrahimpatnam C Satyanarayana, both of whom are already under suspension.
According to the probe report, IPS officers Kranthi Rana Tata and Vishal Gunni proceeded to arrest the actor allegedly on the direction of former intelligence DG Anjaneyulu even before producer Vidyasagar Rao had lodged a formal police complaint.
Acting on oral instructions, the officers travelled to Mumbai and arrested her on February 2, without any written orders or sufficient evidence, the probe report said.
"The government, after careful consideration of the report and having due regard to the circumstances of the case, came to a conclusion that there is prima facie evidence and that the disciplinary proceedings are warranted for his grave misconduct and dereliction of duty…," the Government Order read.
The inquiry revealed that Anjaneyulu had instructed the other two officers to arrest the woman even before a FIR had been filed. The FIR was registered on February 2, while instructions for her arrest were allegedly issued on January 31.
All three officers are among 16 IPS personnel who had been issued a memo earlier, ordering them to report to the Director General of Police's office twice a day without an official posting.
Follow us
