Andhra govt suspends senior IPS officer Sunil Kumar for 'unauthorised' foreign visits

Amaravati, March 2 (PTI) The Andhra Pradesh government on Sunday suspended senior IPS officer P V Sunil Kumar for allegedly making repeated foreign visits without prior permission during the previous YSRCP regime.

In a government order, Chief Secretary K Vijayanand stated that Kumar, a DGP-rank officer awaiting posting, had deviated from the travel plan approved by the government during those overseas trips.

"Now, therefore, in the exercise of the powers conferred under Rule 3 (1) of the All India Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, the Government of Andhra Pradesh hereby places P V Sunil Kumar, IPS, under suspension with immediate effect," said the Chief Secretary in the order.

According to the top bureaucrat, Kumar repeatedly demonstrated willful disregard for established practices.

His actions exhibit gross negligence, indiscipline, and grave misconduct by undertaking foreign travel without obtaining the requisite permission, he said, adding that disciplinary proceedings were being contemplated for such repeated acts of "grave misconduct." Georgia, the UAE, Sweden, the USA, and the UK were among the destinations involved in these alleged unauthorised visits between 2019 and 2024, the Chief Secretary noted.

He further said although Kumar was granted permission to visit Georgia from March 1 to 4, 2024, he allegedly deviated from the approved plan and visited the UAE within those four days without permission.

Similarly, Vijayanand pointed out that Kumar visited the USA between February 1 and 28, 2023, departing from Hyderabad without obtaining prior government approval, among other such unauthorised trips.

The state was ruled by the erstwhile YSRCP government, led by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, between 2019 and 2024. PTI