Did Narsingi Police give an 'incorrect' report regarding KTR's property
By Coreena Suares Published on 7 Jun 2020 10:59 AM GMT
Hyderabad: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to TRS Minister K T Rama Rao, following allegation over ‘construction violations’.
The NGT’s southern zone bench on June 5, directed to constitute a high-level committee to inspect the properties falling under GO 111. The bench was responding to a complaint filed by Congress MP A Revanth Reddy.
The parliamentarian alleged that, Telangana Minister KTR has violated GO 111 orders and built a property (guest house) with a swimming pool and other luxuries facilities in prohibited conservation zone by obstructing nala which is a natural rain water channel to Osman Sagar (Gandipet lake).
The alleged violations came into limelight when few accused in the case tried to visit the properties however were arrested by Narsingi police in March. A complaint against the construction violation at NGT followed.
Breaking silence on June 6, the minister clarified that he does not own the property. “ The NGT case filed against me by a Congress man is a deliberate personal vilification campaign based on utter false statements. It remains a fact that I don’t own a property as clarified by me earlier. I will seek appropriate legal remedies by exposing falsehood of allegation” he tweeted.
The NGT case filed against me by a congressman is a deliberate personal vilification campaign based on utter false statements. It remains a fact that I don’t own the property as clarified by me earlier
I will seek appropriate legal remedies by exposing falsehood of allegations
— KTR (@KTRTRS) June 6, 2020
[amp-tweet tweetid="https://publish.twitter.com/?query=https://twitter.com/KTRTRS/status/1269268649241542657&widget=Tweet"]
However, the minister’s clarification has now snowballed into another controversy against the Telangana police who arrested MP Revanth Reddy and others on the pretext that they were ‘loitering’ around the Minister’s property, as told to the court.
In the charge memo submitted before the XVI Additional Metropolitan magistrate, Rajendra nagar, Narsingi police said, “On the intervening night of 2nd March 2020, while Narsingi police personnel were on lake mobile patrolling duty at Miyakhangadda . Cops noticed unknown persons were using drones that was capturing the area near the Swaroop cricket ground situated at Miyakhangadda village, sans permission. In this regard a case under 188 of IPC was booked”.
Cops further said, “Two days into the investigation , six accused P Praveenpal Reddy, Gandigi Om Prakash Reddy, Mango Jaipal Reddy, Darga Rajesh and M Vijay Simha Reddy were arrested. On March 5th MP Revanth Reddy was arrested and produced before the court”.
Cops’s investigation revealed (as told to the court),“The accused have loitered near the properties of private persons and dignitaries including residing premises of Kalwakunta Taraka Rama Rao (KTR) minister for IT and Municipal Administration. The accused with an intention to cause abstain for his or her works which attracts section 7 of criminal amendment act”.
The Narsingi police booked a case under section 287, 109, 115, 201 and 120 (B) of Indian Penal code and informed the court of the case.
Notably, the clarification of the minister and the report submitted by the Narsingi cops appears to be contradicting.
NewsMeter is awaiting a response from the Narsingi Police.
What does the NGT’s direction say?
According to the direction, the committee to inspect the properties and submit the report in 2 months beginning June 5th. The committee must comprise of Principal Secretary-Irrigation, government of Telangana. Commissioners- Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA). Superintendent Engineer of lakes and water bodies, District collector- Ranga Reddy and a representative from the Ministry of forest and environment.
What is GO 111
The then government of Un-divided Andhra Pradesh state had issued a GO 111 banning construction, development activities on the catchment area of Osman Sagar, Himayat Sagar, the twin lakes that once provided drinking water for Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The NGT in order dated 2018, had banned all constructions in area falling under GO 111 until such a time a decision is taken by the government.
