The Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed senior IPS officer Kumar Vishwajit as the Intelligence Chief of Andhra Pradesh and PhD Ramakrish as the Vijayawada City Police Commissioner. In this regard, the state CSKS Jawahar Reddy issued an order on Wednesday late night. The EC directed them to join duty on Thursday morning.
It is known that two days ago, the ECI has transferred PSR Anjaneyulu, Intelligence Chief, and Vijayawada CP Kanti Rana, who were allegedly acting as pawns of Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy and the ruling party. The ECI responded to the opposition complaints that they were harassing them and also found they had crossed the line.
Intelligence Chief PSR Anjaneulu, who is working as eyes and ears of CM Jagan, and Vijayawada City Police Commissioner Kanti Rana Tata, who is equally devoted to serve the ruling party were transferred after the ECI directed the government to assign them duties unrelated to elections.
It is known that the Election Commission has already sidelined six IPS officers and three IAS officers after the code was promulgated. However, YCP circles admit that transfer of these two high profile IPS officers is a big shock to Jagan.
Though PSR Anjaneyulu is only Intelligence Chief, official circles admit that he is in fact acting as `defacto’ DGP and the entire police force is under his ‘control’. There have been reports that Jagan has also entrusted the responsibility of ‘managing’ the elections to PSR.
In the background of all this, it seems that EC has targeted him. PSR who went to the central services before the bifurcation of the state, returned only after Jagan became the CM. He has been the center of controversy on several issues related to harassment of political opponents.
He has reportedly used to summon even ruling party MLAs and issue gentle warnings. Families of prominent TDP leaders like Kodela Siva Prasada Rao and JC Diwakara Reddy were allegedly under his target.
His role was attributed in implicating Atcham Naidu, Dhulipala Narendra, Raghuramakrishnam Raju and N Chandrababu Naidu in various cases and also their arrests.
As Vijayawada Police Commissioner, Kanti Rana was hardly known for focusing on law and order and crime prevention, but was more actively involved in safeguarding interests of ruling party leaders. Due to strong backing of senior minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, CM Jagan said to be tolerating him besides his inefficiency proved several times, including when government employees had a massive show of strength in the city.
