KCR, Harish Rao get temporary relief in Kaleshwaram case; no govt action till Oct 7, rules HC

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday granted interim relief to former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) and former Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao by restraining the State government from initiating action against them based on the PC Ghose Commission report on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project.

Interim relief till October 7

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin passed the interim order and adjourned the case to October 7. The bench directed the State not to proceed against the petitioners until the matter is heard further.

Petitions challenge commission’s legality

KCR and Harish Rao, both of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), had moved the High Court seeking to quash the Commission’s findings.

They argued that the commission was constituted in violation of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, and that its report was ‘prejudicial, defamatory and in breach of natural justice.’

Senior counsels seek urgent relief

Supreme Court senior counsels Aryama Sundaram and Seshadri Naidu, representing Harish Rao and KCR respectively, urged the court to protect their clients from coercive action. They cited the government’s decision to recommend a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter as grounds for urgent hearing.

Government’s stand

Advocate General A Sudarshan Reddy maintained that the petitions were not maintainable.

He clarified that the government’s decision to order a CBI inquiry was based on the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) report, not on the Ghose Commission’s findings.

Commission findings

The one-man Commission headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose was set up on March 14, 2024, to probe alleged irregularities in the planning, design, construction and maintenance of the Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages.

Submitting its report on July 31, the commission held KCR ‘directly and vicariously accountable’ for irregularities in the project and indicted Harish Rao.

Next course of action

The High Court directed the Chief Secretary and the Irrigation Secretary to file counter-affidavits within four weeks. The petitioners have been given one week thereafter to submit their replies. The matter will be heard again on October 7.