Did not criticise AP govt in press meet: IPS officer AB Venkateswara Rao

Responding to the show cause notice issued by Chief Secretary (CS) Sameer Sharma on March 22, suspended IPS officer AB Venkateswara Rao gave reply to the memo on Wednesday. He informed the CS that he did not criticise the Andhra Pradesh government in the press conference which he held on March 21 this year. “I only gave reply to personal allegations levelled against me under the Article 21 of the Constitution,” Rao added.
 
The DGP-ranked official mentioned that Rule 17 of the All India Services Conduct Rules 1968 allows an official to respond on personal allegations levelled against him. “I only reacted to the accusations in an individual capacity,” he stated. 
 
In his reply, he once again reiterated that he did not procure Pegasus spyware from Israel while he was serving as an intelligence chief during the previous TDP government. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s announcement in the Legislative Assembly that Chandrababu Naidu’s government purchased Pegasus spyware had created sensation.