BRS Dubbaka MLA Kotha Prabhakar moves Telangana HC, seeks stay on Durgam Cheruvu encroachment case

Hyderabad: BRS Dubbaka MLA Kotha Prabhakar has moved the Telangana High Court seeking a stay on further proceedings in an FIR registered against him in connection with the alleged encroachment of Durgam Cheruvu.

The matter was heard by Justice Jukanti Anil Kumar.

FIR details and charges

The petitioner has challenged FIR No. 2530 of 2025, dated December 31, 2025, registered as Crime No. 2530 of 2025 at Madhapur Police Station.

The case has been booked under Section 329(3) read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

Allegations of lake encroachment

According to the prosecution, Kotha Prabhakar Reddy, along with co-accused Venkat Reddy, allegedly encroached upon nearly five acres of land forming part of the Durgam Cheruvu lake bed.

It is alleged that the area was filled with soil and stones and subsequently converted into a private transport parking facility operated by STS, from which the accused are said to have earned substantial monthly income since 2014.

The FIR was registered based on a complaint lodged by Kranthi Anand, a HYDRAA Supervisor, seeking legal action over the alleged offences.

Court’s observations

When the matter was taken up, counsel for the petitioners sought time to advance arguments. The Court expressed displeasure over the request for an adjournment in a fresh matter.

Justice Jukanti Anil Kumar orally observed the seriousness of the allegations, particularly in light of the petitioner holding a constitutional office and the alleged encroachment of an ecologically sensitive water body.

Directions to prosecution

The Court directed the Assistant Public Prosecutor, attached to the office of Public Prosecutor Palle Nageshwar Rao, to obtain instructions from the concerned authorities. The matter was thereafter adjourned.

Defence stand

The petitioners contended that the land in question was lawfully purchased in 2018 through a registered sale deed and does not form part of the lake area.

They argued that the complaint is false, fabricated, and motivated, and that the FIR lacks essential supporting material such as Full Tank Level (FTL) demarcation, official boundary sketches of Durgam Cheruvu, or any valuation of the alleged damage to public property.

On these grounds, the petitioners sought a stay of all further proceedings arising out of the FIR.

Next hearing

The High Court adjourned the matter to January 8, directing the prosecution to place its instructions before the Court on the next date of hearing.