Hyderabad: Refusing to stay the demolition of a farmhouse owned by one B Pradeep Reddy in Janwada, a single bench of the Telangana High Court comprising Justice K Lakshman instructed the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection (HYDRA) to follow all due procedures before resorting to any demolition of the structure that was leased-in by BRS working president KT Rama Rao (KTR).
During a hearing on the matter on Wednesday, Justice Lakshman questioned the additional advocate general (AAG) about the jurisdiction and scope of HYDRA and sought to know whether the full-tank levels (FTL) of all lakes have been notified in the past.
Whether it was 60 square yard, or 60 acre land, the bench informed HYDRA to follow procedures before taking any affirmative action against the structures.
The additional AG informed the bench that a primary notification was given on the FTL in the past, and that HYDRA was an independent body that was closely working with the civic authorities and had the powers to take action. He informed the bench that the demolitions were carried out only after prior notices were served to the owners of the structures that were built in the FTL and buffer zone of lakes.
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The bench questioned how the demolitions were being carried out on properties that stood for almost 15-20 years, also pointing out that the property of the farmhouse in question was registered at the office of the sub-registrar.
The bench sought to know how many structures were demolished by the HYDRA and asked the additional AG to furnish all the documents pertaining to the demolitions carried out. It also asked for the body to consider all the documentation of the Janwada farmhouse and to follow procedures before taking any action.
The farmhouse in Janwada was built in 3,895.12 square feet built-up area in the land 1,210 square yards in survey number 311/7 in Janwada village of Shankarpally village of Rangareddy district.
It can be mentioned that this was the same farmhouse which Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had alleged, was owned by BRS working president KT Rama Rao in March 2020, when he had released drone videos of the farmhouse, and had claimed that it was illegally built within the 10 km radius of Osmansagar and Himathsagar reservoirs, which come under the purview of GO 111.
Revanth Reddy was arrested and sent to jail in that case, after Narsingi police had taken up the case suo motu and booked Revanth Reddy, the then Malkajgiri MP under Sections 184 (obstructing sale of property offered for sale by authority of public servant), 187 (omission to assist public servant) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He was also booked under Sections 287, for using a drone in an unauthorised manner and Section 120, for criminal conspiracy under the IPC.
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