Andhra Pradesh, Telangana police walk tightrope in vote scandal

Hyderabad: AP and TS police officials are walking a tightrope following the cash-for-vote case. Relationships between the two have been strained due to politics over the cash-for-vote scam. Cases were booked by the AP police against top cops of TS, including ACB DG A.K. Khan. While anti-Naxal and anti-terror operations are still done jointly by the police of both states, the relation between the two is stressed.

In the 87 FIRs registered in Andhra, Mr A.K. Khan and other TS IPS officials have been named, alleging that they conspired to tap the phones of the AP Chief Minister and other ministers.

A senior TS police official said, “We carried out the operation after the government ordered it, that too based on a genuine complaint; we have nothing personal. However, booking cases on cops who are investigating cases is stretching it too far.” However, a top AP police official said, “The TS police are like our brothers. Governments and parties will come and go. The integrity of AIS officials cannot be affected.”