`No case registration before preliminary enquiry’: HYDRAA PS takes major step to prevent misuse

Hyderabad: HYDRAA police station will implement a preliminary enquiry (PE) system before registering any case. The move is aimed at ensuring transparency and preventing misuse of legal processes.

This initiative has been introduced by HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath to ensure that only complaints backed by substantial evidence are formally acted upon.

Under the new protocol, all complaints, particularly those involving land encroachment and damage to public assets, will undergo a preliminary investigation. The HYDRAA officials said a first information report (FIR) will be registered only after prima facie evidence of a crime is established.

The Commissioner will review every complaint directly, and only those with his recommendation will proceed to the police station level. The HYDRAA police station will officially commence operations upon the issuance of orders from the Law Department, designating it to a specific court.

Focus areas of HYDRAA’s jurisdiction

Elaborating further, the officials said that the HYDRAA police station will primarily address encroachment on government land, misuse of land allocated for public amenities in approved layouts, illegal destruction of parks, lakes, ponds, and drainage channels, and violations involving Non-Transferable Lands (NTL) and buffer zones.

Based on complaints received thus far, HYDRAA officials have identified serious criminal elements such as forgery, use of fake documents, and illegal constructions. In addition to removing encroachment, local police stations are being tasked with registering cases against the identified offenders.

However, several complaints have been found to stem from personal disputes, vendettas, or intimidation tactics, leading to the necessity of a more structured complaint-verification system.

Process for filing complaints & Suo Motu action

Citizens approaching HYDRAA with complaints related to land encroachment or destruction of public property will no longer see immediate FIR registration. The procedure is as follows: Complaints will first be logged in the General Diary (GD), Relevant documents, field reports, and departmental records will be verified, A Preliminary Enquiry Report will be compiled and submitted to the Commissioner, and only upon the Commissioner's approval will an FIR be formally registered.

HYDRAA also reserves the right to take suo motu action in serious cases where public property is at risk, even in the absence of a direct complaint. Additionally, related cases already registered at various police stations across the city will be transferred to HYDRA in phases, allowing for centralized and specialized handling.