No strict action against Andhra Pradesh police

Hyderabad: The cops who helped red sanders smuggling have been promoted over the years; their only punishment for taking bribes from the smugglers was a cut in their increment.

Deccan Chronicle has access to investigation copies where after seven years of inquiry the accused officials were allowed to go scot free.

As many as 21 police personnel, who were supposed to be dismissed from service for their involvement in red sanders smuggling, were let off by the then N. Kiran Kumar Reddy government in 2014 with the nominal punishment of two years’ increment cut.

It started in September 2007 in Kadapa when arrested smugglers confessed to the cops that they had paid Rs 36.3 lakh as bribes to 10 forest officials and Rs 21.64 lakh to 24 police officials.

They also confessed that personnel at all check posts along the route had been paid. The then Kadapa superintendent of police had sent a report which reached the Kurnool deputy inspector general. The official forwarded it to the director general of police in 2011, recommending the dismissal of the 24 police officials.

No action was taken and the Forum For Good Governance filed a petition in the Lokayukta. Following this, in 2014, a nominal punishment of increment cut was handed out to them. The list includes inspectors and sub-inspectors who have been subsequently promoted.