The Andhra Pradesh High Court has quashed the corruption case against retired 1989-batch IPS officer Mr. A.B. Venkateswara Rao, citing the charges as “feeble and casual” and lacking material evidence. The ruling, delivered on May 7, brings an end to a long-standing legal battle that began during the previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) regime.
Mr. Venkateswara Rao, considered close to current Chief Minister Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, was suspended by the YSRCP government in 2020 over allegations of irregularities in procuring surveillance equipment worth Rs. 25 crore from an Israeli firm while serving as Additional Director General of Police, Intelligence. It was alleged that he used his position to favour his son’s company, Akasam Advanced Systems, in the procurement of aerostats and UAVs.
However, the High Court dismissed the FIR and charge sheet filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), with Justice N. Harinath observing that the accusations were insufficient to merit a trial. Mr. Venkateswara Rao’s counsel, Advocate Mr. B. Adinarayana Rao, argued that the procurement process was overseen by the then Director General of Police, and that the accused officer had no direct role. He also clarified that Akasam Advanced Systems had no operations in Andhra Pradesh or Telangana.
Mr. Venkateswara Rao had earlier denied allegations of involvement in the alleged Pegasus spyware purchase under the TDP regime and was issued a show-cause notice by the YSRCP government for addressing the media on the issue without prior clearance. His initial suspension was revoked in May 2022 by the Supreme Court, but he was soon suspended again on grounds that he might influence witnesses in the ongoing investigation.
He challenged this second suspension before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which set it aside in May 2024, just days before his retirement. Though the state government moved the High Court against the CAT’s decision, he was reinstated on May 31, 2024, the day of his retirement. In January 2025, the new TDP-led government regularised his suspension periods as time spent on duty, entitling him to full pay.
A member of the Kamma community, Mr. Venkateswara Rao has publicly claimed that officers and industrialists from his community were targeted under the previous YSRCP regime. After retirement, he addressed a Sankranti event hosted by a Kamma community organisation in Vijayawada, voicing these concerns.
The High Court’s verdict effectively closes the corruption case, vindicating Mr. Venkateswara Rao after nearly five years of suspension, legal battles, and administrative hurdles.
