YSR reinstates Yadav as police chief

Hyderabad, May 21 (IANS) A day after taking oath as Andhra Pradesh chief minister for the second consecutive term, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Thursday reinstated Shyam Sundar Prasad Yadav as the state police chief and also removed two other officers appointed by the Election Commission.

Yadav was removed as director general of police in March by the poll panel for praising the chief minister, violating the election code of conduct. A.K. Mohanty was appointed the police chief in his place.

With the Congress retaining power, Rajasekhara Reddy brought back Yadav as the police chief.

The indications to this effect were available even before the announcement of results May 16 as Yadav, who was not given any post, was seen at a meeting chaired by the chief minister in his native Kadapa district.

Acting on a complaint by the opposition parties, the Election Commission March 18 transferred the Bihar cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer for praising the state government after the announcement of poll schedule.

Yadav was appointed the director general in 2007 while ignoring officers senior to him.

YSR, as the chief minister is popularly known, defended reinstating Yadav as the police chief while addressing a meet-the-press programme here Thursday.

'Immediately,' quipped the chief minister when asked when Yadav would be reinstated.

A section of leaders were unhappy with Mohanty's style of functioning ever since he was appointed as the police chief two months ago. He came under criticism for booking cases against YSR's son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy and son-in-law evangelist Anil Kumar during election campaign.

Earlier, this month a court in Guntur had served a non-bailable warrant against Jaganmohan Reddy in connection with a poll code violation case booked against him.

Supporters of Jaganmohan Reddy, elected to the Lok Sabha from Kadapa, had staged a protest before the office of DGP, protesting against the police action.

Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), an ally of Congress, too was unhappy with Mohanty. MIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi had accused him of being biased against Muslims and had dared him to shed his uniform and face him in an election.

YSR also removed two more police officers appointed by the Election Commission. Visakhapatnam range inspector general of police Venkateshwara Rao, who had made certain objectionable remarks against Owaisi last month, has been asked to report to DGP office.

The government also removed Charu Sinha as superintendent of police of West Godavari, reinstating Nagi Reddy as the district police chief. Nagi Reddy was removed from duties by the poll panel.