The sudden transfer of Andhra Pradesh special chief secretary R P Sisodia from the crucial revenue (land administration, registration and stamps) department to an insignificant handlooms and textiles department has kicked up storm in the state bureaucratic circles.
According to the orders issued on Sunday night, chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu also stripped Sisodia of the additional post of Director-General, AP Human Resources Development Institute.
The general talk that was doing rounds in the media is that the transfer was on account of several corruption charges against him and his staff members.
Sources said on the directions of Naidu, the intelligence department had made a thorough inquiry into allegations of corruption in the revenue department and submitted a report a few days ago.
According to reports, Sisodia appointed a retired forest official as officer on special duty (OSD) in the revenue department in violation of rules. This OSD was given powers to view and clear revenue files online.
There were allegations that the OSD had demanded commission for clearing files pertaining to some land related issue.
Subsequently, some audio tapes involving Sisodia’s alleged conversation about clearing revenue files surfaced during the inquiry, which came to the notice of the chief minister.
There was also a talk that Sisodia was allegedly involved in other “affairs” and it has also come to the notice of the chief minister. Hence, the transfer, sources said.