Amaravati, March 2 (IANS) The Andhra Pradesh government has suspended senior IPS office P.V. Sunil Kumar for repeatedly travelling abroad without obtaining prior permission.
Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand on Sunday issued orders suspending Sunil Kumar for violation of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules.
Sunil Kumar, a 1993 batch IPS officer, is currently holding the rank of Director General of Police and is waiting for the posting.
He was Director General, AP State Disaster Response Force and Fire Services when he was transferred in June last year soon after the TDP-led coalition government came to power.
He was one of the IPS officers shunted by the new government as there were allegations that they targeted TDP leaders when the YSR Congress Party was in power.
Sunil Kumar was chief of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) when TDP President and present Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and other leaders were booked on corruption charges.
The GO issued on Sunday cited multiple instances of unauthorised foreign visits by Sunil Kumar. In March last year, the government had permitted the IPS officer to visit Georgia but he visited the United Arab Emirates on his own, in deviation of government orders.
According to GO, Sunil Kumar undertook six foreign trips in recent years in violation of official protocols. In September 2023, he visited Sweden without obtaining prior government approval. Earlier in February 2023, he stayed in the United States for a month without prior permission.
He also visited the UAE in December 2022 though he was permitted to visit only Georgia. He also allegedly undertook an unauthorised visit to the UAE in October 2021. He travelled to the UK in December 2019- January 2020 though he had approval only to visit the US.
The GO mentioned that IPS officers are required to obtain prior approval for all foreign visits, ensuring accountability, security compliance, and adherence to chain-of-command protocols, addressing potential security concerns and preventing conflicts of interest during foreign visits.
The government determined that there is sufficient prima facie evidence indicating that the officer demonstrated wilful disregard for established practices. His actions exhibit gross negligence, indiscipline, and grave misconduct.
As per the suspension order, Sunil Kumar will remain under suspension with immediate effect, pending a detailed inquiry. His headquarters during the suspension will be Vijayawada, and he is not permitted to leave the city without prior government approval.
In January this year, the state government had ordered an inquiry into charges against Sunil. Special Chief Secretary, Revenue, R.P. Sisodia was appointed as the Inquiring Authority and then Director General of Vigilance and Enforcement Harish Kumar Gupta as the Presiding Officer.
Sunil Kumar was also booked in July last year for the alleged custodial torture of then Member of Parliament K. Raghu Ramakrishna Raju, the present Deputy Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
Raju was arrested and allegedly tortured in police custody in 2021 when the YSR Congress Party was in power.
After the TDP-led coalition came to power last year, police registered an attempt to murder case against then Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, then CID chief Sunil Kumar, then Intelligence chief Seetharamanjaneyulu, then Additional SP R. Vijaya Paul, then superintendent of Government General Hospital Guntur, Dr Prabhavati and others on a complaint by Raju.
–IANS
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