Hyderabad: As Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is cooling it off in Himachal Pradesh, where he is on a holiday with his family, and YSRC chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has just returned from a six-day holiday, the office of the Anti-Corruption Bureau in Vijayawada is witnessing a flurry of activity since last 72 hours.
Newly-appointed ACB chief A.B. Venkateswara Rao, who was transferred by the Election Commission as Intelligence chief, following a petition by YSRC leader V. Vijay Sai Reddy — has made it loud and clear that even MPs and MLAs along with Central government employees come under his (ACB) purview, which has set off apprehensions among politicos and bureaucrats alike.
Sources within the watchdog agency are hinting at the possibility of a “big” operation by the ACB, before the election results are out on May 23.
Sources in the ACB told this newspaper that ever since Mr Rao had taken over, a detailed review of the previous and ongoing discreet enquiries had been taken up along with progress of investigation into major cases of disproportionate assets, in which the various linkages of the accused official (who was arrested) is being looked into, particularly the political linkages, something most government officials in AP have, based on caste equations.
But, most importantly, sources said, surveillance by ACB on leaders of Opposition parties, a few bureaucrats and Central government employees, particularly from the income-tax department, is at an all-time high.
“The ACB has the power to arrest and it has all the paraphernalia to monitor anyone,” sources said, adding that “something major” is in the offing.
Interestingly, the ACB officials are said to be in constant touch with the state Intelligence wing, which Mr Rao headed before his transfer to the ACB five days ago.
According to some former police officials who worked in the ACB previously, the agency keeps a close watch on politicos during election time, what with parties resorting to horsetrading. “It is the job of the ACB to keep a tab on politicians resorting to horsetrading. Going by the bitter electioneering in AP, the ACB obviously will mount surveillance,” a former ACB official said.
All eyes are now on ACB also due to the fact that Mr Naidu had withdrawn “general consent” accorded to the CBI to conduct raids and carry out investigation in the state.
This order has made the ACB even more powerful.
Speaking to this newspaper, YSRC former MP P.V. Midhun Reddy said: “It is very clear that we are forming government in AP and once that is done Venkateswara Rao himself will be under the scanner.”
AP BJP president Kanna Lakshminarayana said he viewed Mr Rao’s statement as a threat. “The ACB DG is planning to organise and orchestrate false cases against politicians of Opposition parties. Even I have lot of experience in administration and no IPS officer could ever talk like this and issue a threat,” he said.
