Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to continue the suspension of senior IPS officer N. Sanjay, extending the period until March 31, 2027, or the conclusion of criminal proceedings against him, whichever occurs first.
The order was issued on November 10, 2026, following a review of his case by the government’s Suspension Review Committee on November 6. Chief Secretary G. Sai Prasad issued the order after considering the committee’s recommendation and the status of the ongoing investigation.
Sanjay, a 1996-batch IPS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, was initially suspended in December 2024 over allegations of misuse and misappropriation of public funds during his tenures as Director General of Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Response and Fire Services and Additional Director General of Police in the CID.
Who Is N. Sanjay?
Nidigattu Sanjay, popularly known as N. Sanjay, is a senior Indian Police Service officer belonging to the Andhra Pradesh cadre.
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Sanjay holds an AMIE qualification and a Bachelor of Law (BL) degree.
Previous Positions Held by N. Sanjay
During his career in the Andhra Pradesh Police, Sanjay has held several senior assignments, including:
- Additional Director General of Police, CID: He served as the senior officer heading the Andhra Pradesh CID. During this tenure, he was associated with investigations into several high-profile cases, including the Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation case involving former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
- Director General, State Disaster Response and Fire Services: He headed the state’s Disaster Response and Fire Services Department. The allegations concerning the AGNI-NOC portal project relate to this tenure.
- Director, Andhra Pradesh Police Academy: He served as Director of the state police academy, with reports placing his appointment in 2017.
- Director, Police Personnel and Training: He also held additional responsibility for police personnel and training.
In 2021, he was appointed as a special officer by the State Election Commission to monitor security arrangements during the Andhra Pradesh local body elections.
Why Has N. Sanjay’s Suspension Been Extended?
The government’s decision comes amid an ongoing Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) investigation into alleged financial irregularities involving two separate matters.
The allegations relate to:
- AGNI-NOC portal project: During his tenure as Director General of Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Response and Fire Services, Sanjay allegedly misused government funds allocated for developing and maintaining the AGNI (Automated Governance & NoC Integration) web portal and related facilities.
- SC/ST awareness programme: During his tenure as Additional Director General of the CID, he allegedly misappropriated funds earmarked for training police personnel on the rights of SC/ST victims and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
The ACB registered a criminal case on December 24, 2024. According to the government’s review, the investigation was still underway, with important witnesses yet to be examined and relevant documents still to be collected. Forensic Science Laboratory reports concerning electronic devices and questioned documents were also awaited.
The Review Committee reportedly observed that revoking the suspension at this stage could create the possibility of influencing the investigation or tampering with evidence.
The government extended the suspension under Rule 3(3) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.
How Did the Case Against Him Begin?
The state government initially suspended Sanjay in December 2024 after examining reports from the Vigilance and Enforcement wing concerning alleged financial irregularities.
One of the allegations involved a contract worth approximately ₹2.29 crore for the development of the AGNI-NOC web portal and supply of related hardware. A technical committee reportedly found that only around 14% of the contracted work had been completed by April 2023, despite payments having been made to the vendor.
The second set of allegations concerned funds allocated for awareness programmes on the rights of SC/ST victims and the provisions of the Prevention of Atrocities Act. The investigation reportedly identified discrepancies between the amount allocated and the expenditure incurred on the programme.
Following the initial suspension, the ACB registered a criminal case on December 24, 2024. Disciplinary proceedings were also initiated, and an Inquiring Authority and Presenting Officer were appointed.
The latest extension means Sanjay will remain under suspension until March 31, 2027, unless the criminal proceedings conclude earlier.
