IAS officer threatens defamation suit against Ex-VC

Hyderabad, Nov 22 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Public Enterprises Department Principal Secretary, K Ratna Prabha, allegedly found guilty of corruption, criminal misconduct and violation of conduct rules, today threatened to file a defamation suit against the former Vigilance Commissioner, if he did not apologise within ten days.

Former Vigilance Commissioner, R C Samal, had alleged that the Principal Secretary was one of the officers who were found guilty of corruption, criminal misconduct and violation of conduct rules.

Equipped with a letter from the General Administration Department that as on date, no complaint or enquiry report was pending against her in the Department, the IAS officer said the serious allegations, made by Mr Samal through print and electronic media ''without any substance, proof or evidence'', caused immense damage to her reputation, besides mental agony to her and her family.

''I appeal through the same print and electronic media to Mr Samal to apologise through the print and electronic media, failing which I will be forced to take legal action against him,'' she said.

Invoking the provisions of the Right to Information Act, she had applied to the office of the state Vigilance Commission to furnish a copy of the complaint, if any, and enquiry report available with it.

Informing that its role was only advisory in nature, it sent the file to the Administrative Department, which on November 13, informed that ''as on date no complaint or enquiry against me is pending in the Department'', she said.

Accusing Mr Samal of ''ignoring his responsibility'' as Vigilance Commissioner to maintain the dignity of honest officials and ''throwing mud at any conveniently-positioned visible official'', she said, ''one would have expected, if anything at all, an unbiased report which this one do not appear to be.'' UNI