Amaravati, Jan 31 (IANS): The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday extended, till May 31, the suspension of senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and Additional Director General of Police N. Sanjay for violation of rules.
The General Administration Department issued an order, extending the suspension of the former chief of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) under suspension under rule 3 (1) of All India Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1969.
The Department had suspended the IPS officer on December 3, 2024.
There have been allegations that the 1993-batch IPS officer was involved in certain irregularities while serving as Director General of State Disaster Response and Fire Services.
During the previous regime of the YSR Congress Party, Sanjay, as the chief of CID, supervised the probe into the cases related to the Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation scam and alignment of Amravati Inner Ring Road against the then Leader of the Opposition and Telugu Desam Party (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 2024 following the electoral victory of the TDP-led NDA, Sanjay was transferred and he was asked to report to the office of the DGP.
The new government also ordered a probe by the Vigilance & Enforcement (V&E) Department into the allegations against the IPS officer. It reportedly found that he misused his official position to facilitate payment of Rs 1 crore to Sautrika Technologies and Infra Pvt Ltd without any progress in the assigned work. He allegedly engaged in bid rigging and favouritism while awarding tenders, compromising the integrity of the process and betraying public trust.
The Vigilance report recommended the government take criminal action against the company and impose appropriate legal measures on Sanjay under the Central Services Conduct Rules.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on December 24 registered a case against him for alleged misuse of funds.
The ACB inquiry against him was ordered on the basis of a report by the V&E Department which looked into the allegations against the IPS officer.
The ACB had written to the Chief Secretary seeking permission to initiate action against Sanjay under Section 17 A of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
After receiving the nod 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 and Infra Pvt Ltd and Kritvyap Technologies were listed as accused number two and three, respectively.