Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Thursday adjourned to August 22 the hearing on petitions filed by BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao and former minister T Harish Rao seeking to quash the report of the Justice (Retd) P C Ghose Commission of Inquiry on the Kaleshwaram project.
The judicial commission, appointed by the Telangana government to probe the project, held former chief minister Chandrasekhar Rao “directly and vicariously” accountable for the “irregularities” in its construction and other aspects.
The commission, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice P C Ghose, submitted its report to the government on July 31.
In its report, the commission also found fault with T Harish Rao, a nephew of KCR who was the irrigation minister during the BRS regime.
Challenging the report, KCR and Harish Rao approached the court seeking to have it set aside.
Their counsels argued on Thursday that the commission had “violated” rules and regulations by not issuing notices to their clients or allowing them an opportunity to cross-examine witnesses. They alleged that the panel submitted a one-sided report.
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The counsels also requested interim relief, asking the court to restrain the government from proceeding or acting on the report.
They submitted that, based on the report, the government might initiate criminal action and register “false cases” against their clients.
The High Court asked Advocate General B S Prasad whether the government intended to table the report in the Assembly before taking a decision, or take action on it first and then place it in the Assembly.
The AG said he would take instructions from the government and sought time, following which the court posted the matter to August 22.
The state cabinet had discussed and accepted the commission’s report on August 4.
Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy later said the report also found fault with Harish Rao and then finance minister Eatala Rajender, now a BJP MP.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said the government would soon convene an Assembly session to debate the report and decide the future course of action.
Quoting the report, Uttam Kumar Reddy said then chief minister KCR was held “directly and also vicariously accountable for the irregularities and illegalities in planning, construction, completion, operation and maintenance of the three barrages.”
The commission further noted that the project lacked cabinet approval and that works had commenced even before the final Detailed Project Report (DPR) was ready.
The report observed that the then chief minister was “predetermined and bent upon” constructing the barrage at Medigadda at his “free choice”, with the authorities facilitating the decision.
It concluded that the project was characterised by “rampant and brazen procedural and financial irregularities,” the summary said.
The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project is a multi-purpose project on the Godavari River in Bhupalpally district. Damage to the barrages, built during the previous BRS regime, became a major issue in the 2023 Assembly elections.
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