Hyderabad: In a significant development concerning the arrest of an irrigation official in a disproportionate assets case, the Telangana state government has removed Engineer-in-Chief (Irrigation, General) G Anil Kumar from his top post and instructed him to report to the head office of the irrigation department. Anil Kumar was facing allegations of supporting Irrigation official N Sridhar in a disproportionate assets case being probed by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB). During their investigation, ACB officials reportedly found that Anil Kumar had assisted the arrested official in continuing in the same post, defying transfer orders issued by the Irrigation Secretary last year. It is understood that the Engineer-in-Chief was suspected of helping Sridhar remain in his position without being relieved of duty. Irrigation Secretary Rahul Bojja had issued orders for Sridhar, who was working as an Executive Engineer (EE) in Choppadandi, Karimnagar district, to report to the head office on June 27 last year. However, the official reportedly failed to comply and instead continued in his post without any communication to the head office for the past year.

The ACB has reportedly gathered adequate evidence regarding the links between the two officials. Sources indicate that Anil Kumar is suspected of having halted Sridhar’s transfer and managed it secretly without informing the Secretary.