Wrongful action against senior officers; IAS officer publicly apologises

Amaravati | November 13, 2025

Admitting that it was a moral lapse on his part to grant sanction for disciplinary action against two senior officers while he was in power, former IAS officer Praveen Prakash has publicly apologised. Prakash, an Andhra Pradesh cadre officer who served as Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister during the YSR Congress government, offered his apology to IPS officer A.B. Venkateswara Rao and IRS officer Jasti Krishna Kishore.

Failed to uphold standards of morality

In a video message, Praveen Prakash explained that this expression of regret was due to the mistakes in his own decision-making. “Even if what I did was technically correct as per the service rules, when judged by the standards of ethics and morality, the action taken against both officers was wrong. I did not put on the lens of morality in these matters. That was a grave mistake on my part,” he said.

He revealed that it was only after his retirement, exposure to criticism on social media, and a period of introspection that he realised the flaws in his earlier actions. Though he cannot restore the dignity and peace of mind of the officers who suffered because of his decisions, this apology gives him some personal relief, Prakash added.

While a former top official in Andhra Pradesh is attempting to correct his mistakes, in Kerala, IAS officer Prasanth N., who raised corruption allegations against Chief Secretary Dr A. Jayathilak, remains trapped in the tangle of suspension. There is mounting criticism in the state administration that the very officer facing serious corruption charges is the one granting sanction for continued action against the complainant, allegedly resorting to methods such as secret charge memos and retaliatory proceedings.