Indian Police Service (IPS) officer V. Dinesh Reddy will be Andhra Pradesh’s new director general of police, the state government announced on Thursday.
The 1977-batch officer succeeds K. Aravinda Rao, who retired on reaching superannuation. Dinesh Reddy was selected for the top post after 1975-batch officer K.R. Nandan, who is the son-in-law of former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, reportedly refused to accept the job while the government ignored four other officers senior to Dinesh Reddy for various reasons.
Nandan was unhappy over being ignored twice by the government for the top post. The officers ignored include home secretary P. Gautam Kumar, who had earlier challenged in the administrative tribunal the appointment of his junior Aravinda Rao. Dinesh Reddy was director general of vigilance and enforcement before his appointment as DGP. Hailing from Nellore district in the coastal Andhra region, he earlier served as commissioner of police in Hyderabad and as superintendent of police in various districts.
Thanking chief minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy for reposing faith in him, Dinesh Reddy told reporters that he would do his best to rise to the expectations. “Andhra Pradesh police is considered one of the best police forces in the country and I will do my best to keep its flag high,” said Dinesh Reddy, who has also served as managing director of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC).
Dinesh Reddy will retire in September 2013 on reaching superannuation. Earlier, a farewell parade was held at Amberpet police lines in honour of the outgoing DGP Aravinda Rao, who expressed satisfaction over his service and thanked his colleagues.