Published Sep 21, 2026 | 12:57 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 21, 2026 | 12:57 PM
IPS officers Kanthi Rana Tata and Vishal Gunni.
Synopsis: Senior IPS officers Kanthi Rana Tata and Vishal Gunni, who were suspended in connection with the Kadambari Jethwani case in the Andhra Pradesh police department, have been reinstated and given fresh position. Kanthi Rana Tata was assigned as the IG of Traffic Management and Road Safety, and Vishal Gunni was given the charge of Training DIG. Vishal Gunni was also given the additional responsibility of Director of the AP Police Academy.
The IPS officers, Kanthi Rana Tata and Vishal Gunni, who had been suspended for two years over concerns of their handling of the case involving Mumbai-based film actress Kadambari Jethwani, have finally been given postings.
The state government had lifted the suspension of these two officers in the first week of September. Recently, on September 20, postings were also allocated.
IG Kanthi Rana Tata has been assigned the responsibilities of the newly-formed Directorate of Traffic Management and Road Safety. At the same time, Vishal Gunni has been given the charge of DIG, Police Training Division, along with the additional responsibility of Director of the Andhra Pradesh Police Academy.
Also Read: Jethwani case: Andhra Pradesh reinstates IPS officers Kanthi Rana Tata, Vishal Gunni
Along with them, SPF DG Trivikram Varma, ACB Director R. Jayalakshmi, and APSP Battalion Commandant IG Rajakumari have been transferred.
Greyhounds DIG Attada Babuji has been given the additional charge of Technical DIG along with Greyhounds.
B. Rajakumari has been appointed as Railway IG and has also been given the additional charge of CID Women Safety.
Polavaram OSD Pankaj Kumar Meena has been appointed as the SP of the newly formed Markapuram district.
CID SP Chakravarthi has been transferred as Polavaram district SP. Jayalakshmi has been given the responsibilities of CID Cyber Crime. A total of nine officers were given fresh postings.
In 2024, when the issue of Mumbai-based actress and model Kadambari Jethwani came to light, allegations surfaced against the then Vijayawada Police Commissioner Kanthi Rana Tata and DCP Vishal Gunni.
Complaints poured in regarding the registration of cases, the arrest of Jethwani and her parents, and the manner in which they were brought from Mumbai to Vijayawada.
There are also allegations that she was threatened while in custody to withdraw a case registered against an industrialist in Mumbai.
In light of these allegations, the government suspended three IPS officers on 15 September 2024. The then Intelligence Chief PSR Anjaneyulu, the then Vijayawada Police Commissioner Kanthi Rana Tata, and the then DCP Vishal Gunni were on this list.
Kanthi Rana Tata is a 2004 batch officer, while Vishal Gunni is a 2010 batch IPS officer. Suspension actions were initiated against them as per the All India Services Discipline and Appeal Rules.
The government periodically reviewed and extended the suspensions. The belief was that if the officers returned to duty while the investigation was ongoing, it could be seen as influencing the probe. As a result, the suspension that began in September 2024 continued until September 2026. The latest suspension period was originally supposed to end on 4 September.
Challenging the suspension, Vishal Gunni approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). This legal process also became a key phase in the suspension fiasco. Subsequently, the state government approached the High Court on this issue. Finally, the state government decided to revoke the suspension of the two officers instead of continuing it.
Before lifting the suspension, the government examined the reports submitted by DGP Harish Gupta. It also took into consideration the representation submitted by Kanthi Rana Tata to the government on 24 August.
On 3 September, 2026, the government lifted the suspension of Kanthi Rana Tata and Vishal Gunni. The orders stated that Kanthi Rana Tata was taken back into service from 4 September, and Vishal Gunni from 5 September.
The government announced that despite the revocation of the suspension, the departmental disciplinary actions and criminal cases against them will continue. Two weeks after the suspension was lifted, the two IPS officers received their postings. Meanwhile, PSR Anjaneyulu retired at the end of August.
Also Read: U-turn in Mumbai-actress case: How AP police ended up prosecuting itself with own chargesheet
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
