At last, the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government cracked the whip on M V Suresh Babu, the executive officer of Kanaka Durga temple atop Indrakeeladri hill in Vijayawada for the alleged corrupt practices in the temple administration.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau, which conducted a series of raids between February 18 and 20, unearthed massive scam running into a few crores of rupees and the endowments department ordered suspension of as many as 15 officials in the temple administration.
However, thought the ACB clearly pointed out the alleged corrupt practices of Suresh Babu, the department did not take any action, allegedly because he is said to be close to endowments minister Vellampalli Srinivas Rao.
In fact, there were allegations that Suresh Babu, who was only an assistant commissioner-rank officer in the past, was appointed as executive officer of Kanaka Durga temple and later given promotion at the behest of Vellampalli.
With the ACB report coming to light in the media, the Jagan government had no option but to take action against Suresh Babu.
On Thursday, the government transferred him from the Durga temple and if reports are true, he might as well face suspension in a day or two.
It is learnt the ACB pointed out some major lapses on the part of the temple administration, particularly of Suresh Babu.
The ACB report said the contract agency, which was awarded the tenders for cleaning and serving at Annadanam stores, was resorting to ‘malpractices’ in the supply of domestic gas cylinders.
The executive officer also counter signed the cash register. ACB sources said higher officials were aware about it but turned a blind eye towards the irregularities, the report said.
