AP Government justifies ACB transfer

HYDERABAD:  The state government on Friday defended its decision in transferring IPS officer Kothakota Srinivasa Reddy from the post of additional director of ACB to IG coastal security on April 3. The government submitted before the AP High Court stating that re-transfer of Srinivasa Reddy to the ACB at this juncture would set a ‘dangerous precedent’ and impede the effective functioning and administration.Advocate general A Sudarshan Reddy on Friday filed a counter affidavit before the division bench comprising chief justice Madan B Lokur and justice P V Sanjay Kumar which was dealing with various writ petitions on the liquor scam and seeking a stay on the orders of transfer of Srinivasa Reddy from the ACB.The advocate general asserted that even after transfer of Srinivasa Reddy the ACB has registered many fresh cases and arrested several officers and that the probe is going on unhindered.The advocate general said that the promotion and transfer of Srinivasa Reddy was done as per the guidelines prescribed by the Centre. As there was no vacant post in the rank of IGP in the ACB, he was transferred and posted as IGP, coastal security. The bench directed the petitioner’s counsel to file a counter reply to the government’s affidavit and posted the matter for hearing to June 11.