Shunted out as AP DGP, Gautam Sawang gets new post

Amaravati: Days after being shunted out as the Director General of Police, D. Gautam Sawang has been appointed as the Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC).

The Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Biswabhusan Harichandan, made the appointment in exercise of the powers conferred under Articles 316 (1) and 316 (2) of the Constitution of India. Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma issued a government order in this regard.

The Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government issued the order after consultation with Sawang, who was removed as the police chief in a surprise move on February 15.

The Indian Police Service (IPS) officer will hold the post of APPSC for a period of six years. However, as per the APPSC’s regulations, he will be deemed retired from service.

Sawang’s new appointment is seen as an honourable exit along with extension of service as the 1986-batch IPS officer is due to retire in July next year.

Currently, the APPSC is headed by incharge Chairman A.V. Ramana Reddy after the exit of former Chairman Uday Bhaskar.

On Tuesday, the Andhra Pradesh government shunted out Sawang as DGP and appointed Kasi Reddy V.R.N. Reddy as the new police chief.

Sawang was directed to report to the government in the General Administration Department for further postings.

KVRN Reddy, Director General of Police (Intelligence), has been placed in full additional charge of the post of DGP until further orders.

Belonging to the 1992 batch of the Indian Police Service (IPS), KVRN Reddy has been serving as the intelligence chief of the state since August 2020.

Sawang’s transfer came nearly two weeks after government employees held a huge protest in Vijayawada despite police denying permission and imposing restrictions in the city.

Thousands of employees from across the state managed to reach the city for ‘Chalo Vijayawada’ on February 3. This was seen as a big failure of the police.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had reportedly taken serious note of the incident. The next day he had called the DGP and sought an explanation from him.

After assuming office as the Chief Minister in May 2019, Jagan Mohan Reddy had picked Gautam Sawang as the police chief.

Sawang, a 1986-batch IPS officer, succeeded R.P. Thakur, who was transferred and posted as Commissioner, Printing and Stationery and Stores Purchase.

Before Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh, Sawang worked in various positions, including Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of Maoist-hit Warangal district.

In 2015, he became the Commissioner of Police in Vijayawada, and three years later, he was appointed as Andhra Pradesh DG, Vigilance and Enforcement.

From 2009-12, he served as a Commissioner for UN Police in Liberia.