Latest news with #A.B.VenkateswaraRao
The Hindu
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Andhra Pradesh govt. drops all proceedings against retired IPS officer Venkateswara Rao
The Government of Andhra Pradesh has officially dropped all further proceedings against retired IPS officer A.B. Venkateswara Rao, former Additional Director-General of Police (Intelligence), following the quashing of an FIR and chargesheet by the High Court of Andhra Pradesh. In G.O. RT No.1334 issued on Tuesday, Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand said the case registered against Mr. Venkateswara Rao by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) under multiple IPC Sections, including 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), and 409 (criminal breach of trust), and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act was no longer valid in the light of the High Court's ruling. The FIR and subsequent chargesheet filed before the Special Judge for SPE & ACB Cases in Vijayawada were quashed by the High Court, in response to a criminal petition filed by Mr. Venkateswara Rao. After examining the case, the State government decided not to pursue the Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court, and formally issued orders to cease all further legal and departmental action. The Director-General of Police was directed to implement the decision accordingly.
The Hindu
27-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Godavari-Banakacherla project may compromise Andhra Pradesh's rights over Krishna waters, fears thinkers' forum
A thinkers' forum, Alochanaparula Vedika, has urged Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to initiate steps to safeguard the State's water rights over the rivers Krishna and Godavari. It has also voiced its objection to the proposed Godavari–Banakacherla scheme, citing the potential risk to Rayalaseema's access to Krishna waters. In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister on Friday, the vedika members, A.B. Venkateswara Rao, T. Lakshminarayana, Kambhampati Papa Rao, and Akkineni Bhavani Prasad, criticised the government for not conducting inclusive consultations on key inter-basin transfer projects, such as the Polavaram–Banakacherla. 'No transparency' 'The government is functioning without transparency, and is not engaging with the opposition parties, civil society, domain experts, or researchers,' they alleged. They also rejected Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy's demand for allocation of 500 tmc ft of Krishna waters and 1,000 tmc ft of Godavari waters to Telangana. Citing legal precedents, the vedika members reminded that the Bachawat Tribunal (1973) and the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal (2013) had already allocated 512.04 tmc ft to Andhra Pradesh and 298.96 tmc ft to Telangana — a settlement accepted by both the States during the first Apex Council meeting, attended by Mr. Naidu and then Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. 'Dangerous precedent' The vedika also expressed concern over Telangana's recent arguments before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal, which attempt to invalidate historic allocations to projects such as the Srisailam Right Branch Canal, KC Canal, and the Krishna Delta. 'This can set a dangerous precedent that may benefit the upper riparian States such as Karnataka and Maharashtra at Andhra Preadesh's expense,' they cautioned. On the Godavari–Banakacherla project, the vedika members alleged political motives behind its conception, linking it to past deals involving former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and Mr. Chandrashekar Rao. The project, they feared, would compromise Andhra Pradesh's Krishna water rights, particularly for the drought-hit Rayalaseema. Instead, they proposed alternatives, including accelerating the Polavaram–Somasila interlink, completing the ongoing Rayalaseema projects, and protecting the constitutional and tribunal-based entitlements. 'Any dilution of Andhra Pradesh's water rights will have long-term consequences,' the vedika members cautioned. It urged the State government to uphold the interests of Andhra Pradesh through a non-compromising and legally sound approach.
