Ex-Andhra IAS officer apologises to former bureaucrats suspended during previous YSRCP regime

Amaravati, Nov 12 (PTI) A former IAS officer belonging to the Andhra Pradesh cadre on Wednesday issued a public apology through a video message to two retired bureaucrats for greenlighting disciplinary action against them during the previous YSRCP government between 2019 and 2024.

Praveen Prakash, who resigned from his job in July 2024 after the formation of the TDP-led NDA government, apologised to retired IPS officer AB Venkateswara Rao and former IRS officer J Krishna Kishore.

Prakash had served as the principal secretary (General Administrative Department) under former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

He observed that the action against the two former officers, which led to their suspension, was unwarranted when viewed from an "ethical and moral" standpoint, though the charges against them were in conflict with the civil service conduct rules.

"I realised it and I called both of them and said sorry. But man is a social animal. I think it is my duty also to publicly say sorry to both AB Venkateswar Rao sir and Krishna Kishore sir. Sir, please pardon me in your thoughts," said Prakash, sharing his message on social media.

Recalling that episode, Prakash said he had received the file against Rao from the DGP office back then which he had greenlighted for disciplinary action, but now regretted that he should have "worn the lens of ethics and morality" to have refrained from such a stern action.

"First put the lens of ethics and morality. Same thing in the case of Krishna Kishore. Both cases, had I worn the glasses of ethics and morality, both proposals would have been shot down," he said.

The previous YSRCP government had suspended Rao and booked him over alleged corruption. However, the N Chandrababu Naidu-led government which stormed to power in 2024 had decided to drop further action against him. PTI STH KH