Senior IAS Officer Arvind Kumar Suspended Over Formula E-Race Case Charges
Arvind Kumar was most recently serving as special chief secretary, disaster management.
Hyderabad:The state government suspended senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar, Accused No. 2 (A2) in the alleged irregularities relating to the Formula E race organised in Hyderabad in 2023 during the previous BRS regime, official sources confirmed on Saturday. The suspension follows the Centre’s recently permitting the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to prosecute Kumar. Sources said the file seeking his suspension was placed before Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who approved the action against the official.
Arvind Kumar was most recently serving as special chief secretary, disaster management. The state had transferred him on Thursday without assigning a posting.
Sources stated that the suspension formed part of departmental disciplinary proceedings against Arvind Kumar over allegations of corruption, abuse of authority, negligence and violation of government orders during his tenure as MA&UD secretary in 2023, when the Formula E race was conducted in the city.
An FIR has been registered and the ACB is investigating the case. The suspension will remain in force pending completion of the probe, sources added.
The government, which had placed Arvind Kumar on the waiting list in recent IAS transfers, has informed the Centre of the suspension, they said.
In the same case, the Governor had earlier granted sanction to prosecute former municipal administration minister K.T. Rama Rao, named A1 in the case. The Chief Secretary had also permitted prosecution of former HMDA chief engineer B.L.N. Reddy, the third accused, who has since retired from service. The disciplinary and criminal proceedings in the case are ongoing.