Top Andhra cop transferred over sexual harassment allegations

HYDERABAD - The Andhra Pradesh government Wednesday night transferred Vijayawada Police Commissioner P.S.R. Anjaneyulu and ordered a probe against him for allegedly sexually harassing some women.

The officer has not been given any posting. The inspector general of police (Eluru range) has been given additional charge of Vijayawada police commissioner.

The transfer orders were issued after the government ordered a probe against the officer.

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, who was away in New Delhi, told reporters that he had directed Director General of Police Aravinda Rao to probe the allegations.

Anjaneyulu allegedly made sexual advances to some high profile women, including a doctor and a lecturer, by making repeated phone calls and sending SMSes to them.

After a Telugu television channel carried the transcripts of the SMSes, the police officer admitted to sending the SMSes, saying he was playing a game with a politician who had laid a trap for him.

The Indian Police Service (IPS) officer alleged that Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Vallabhaneni Vamsi was trying to implicate him out of grudge for reducing his security cover. Vamsi, however, denied the allegations.

No woman has come forward to lodge a complaint with the police but Aravinda Rao said there would be a thorough probe into the allegations. Rao said an officer of the rank of additional director general would conduct the inquiry.

State Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy said appropriate action would be taken after receiving a report from the police chief.