Will AB retire in uniform?

With just a few days left until his retirement, the future posting of senior IPS officer AB Venkateswara Rao remains shrouded in uncertainty. Despite his efforts to retire from duty in uniform, circumstances seem to be working against him.
The saga began when the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) revoked AB Venkateswara Rao’s suspension on May 8 and granted him a posting. However, the State government’s alleged reluctance to comply with the CAT verdict has added a layer of complexity. Reports circulating within media circles suggest a conspiracy involving state chief secretary Dr KS Jawahar Reddy and CM Jagan Mohan Reddy to delay the posting until the last day of Rao’s service.
Arguments concluded in court four days ago, with the two-judge bench comprising Justices Satti Subba Reddy and Venkata Jyothirmai Pratapa now deliberating on the state’s application for an interim stay on the CAT’s order. With retirement looming, anticipation is high regarding the court’s decision and the government’s subsequent actions.
Since assuming office on May 30, 2019, the YSRCP government, led by CM Jagan Mohan Reddy, has been embroiled in a legal battle with AB Venkateswara Rao. Rao was initially suspended in February 2020 following allegations of irregularities in the procurement of aerostat and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) during his tenure as the Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence). The State contends that the CAT’s order should be overturned due to legal errors and erroneous findings. Rao has spent the last five years entangled in legal proceedings, navigating a labyrinth of cases from the AP High Court to the Supreme Court in a bid to reclaim his position.