Medigadda barrage row: HC informed about death of complainant

Hyderabad: During the arguments on Friday by the High Court single bench of Justice Kunuru Lakshman in a criminal petition filed by K Chandrashekar Rao and T Harish Rao, accused in a private complaint, raised by social activist Nagavelli Rajalingamurthy, before the lower court, Rapolu Bhaskar, counsel for the de facto complainant, asked whether the activist was alive. Bhaskar informed the judge that Rajalingamurthy died on February 20.

Justice Lakshman pointed out to Public Prosecutor Palle Nageshwar Rao, that the petition was not maintainable and it becomes “infructuous”; it will get automatically closed. Rao prayed to the court to keep the adjudication of the petition alive only for purpose of investigation. He contended that the investigation should go on so that culprits behind the gruesome murder will be punished. The PP informed that there were judgements rendered by the SC and the Karnataka HC, which say the petitions filed seeking relief in private complaints can be heard, despite the complainant’s demise. He sought a week’s time to place such judgments before the court. j

Justice Lakshman, after hearing the PP said the court was not going into merits of the case, since the complainant is no more. He adjourned the petition to February 24 for placing of judgments by Rao.

Justice Lakshman, during the earlier round of adjudication had suspended the order dated January 24, 2024 passed by the Principal Sessions Judge, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Bhupalapally district giving relief to KCR and Harish Rao from appearing before it.

Rajalingamurthy in his private complaint before the PSJ, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, had accused KCR, Harish and other officials of resorting to large scale misappropriation of funds and bringing crores of loss to the exchequer during construction of the Medigadda barrage, a part of the Kaleshwaram project.

KCR and Harish are accused of swindling crores of rupees during construction of the barrage which is damaged. A private complaint was raised before the lower court in Jayashankar Bhupalapally to punish KCR, Harish, the then Irrigation Secretary Rajat Kumar, Secretary in the then CMO Smita Sabharwal, Engineer-in-Chief Sridhar and Krishna Reddy of Megha Constructions and L&T.

The judge heard the petition filed by KCR and Harish, seeking “quash” of the order dated July 10,2024 passed by PSJ, Jayashankar Bhupalapally. Hearing in the case was adjourned to February 24.

Ex-MLA & family file petition seeking anticipatory bail in two criminal cases

On Friday, A Jeevan Reddy, former BRS MLA (Armoor), his wife A Rajitha and his mother A Raju Bai filed criminal petitions in the HC seeking anticipatory bail in two criminal cases. Reddy and his family members are accused of illegally encroaching and constructing a huge building in 20.2 acres in survey numbers 32, 35, 36 and 38 in Urlapally village, Chevella belonging to land-owner Samu Damodar Reddy. When the incident was reported to the Chevella PS and Mokila PS, two FIRs, 175/2024 and 190/2024 were registered against them. The petitioner filed individual criminal petitions seeking quash of the proceedings in the FIRs.

On February 19 Justice Lakshman had heard the two criminal petitions filed by Jeevan Reddy and his family members, seeking “quash” of the proceedings in the FIRs and “dismissed” them stating that they have an alternative remedy in the issue and directed them to face trial in the cases.

Fearing arrest Reddy and his family members filed two petitions which will come up for hearing before Justice Lakshman on February 24. The ground on which Reddy and his family are seeking “anticipatory bail” is that the complainant before the Chevella police and Mokila police had already filed a civil suit viz., OS No. 64/2019, which is pending before the XII Additional District Judge, RR District at Vikarabad regarding the land dispute. The complainant had suppressed this aspect before the police and complained that the petitioners had threatened with dire consequences and had encroached the complainant’s lands.

The petitioners contend that except the offence punishable by U/s. 386 IPC, all others are punishable under Sections 447, 427, 341 and 506 r/w. 34 IPC are offences punishable with imprisonment, not exceeding seven years. The petitions will be heard by the single bench on February 24.

Notices issued to govt & complainant in petition filed by KTR seeking stay in criminal case

On Friday the HC single bench of Justice Lakshman issued notices to the State government and Bathini Srinivas Rao, a Congress activist and the complainant before the Banjara Hills Police seeking stringent action against Kalvakuntla Tarakarama Rao (KTR),BRS working president, for uttering sarcastic and demeaning words against CM A Revanth Reddy. He directed them to respond by March 18.

Justice Lakshman was adjudicating the criminal petition filed by Srinivas Rao who complained to the Banjara Hills Police to punish KTR. Rao informed the police that on March 27, 2024, KTR at the BRS party office had stated that the CM had collected Rs.2,500 crore from the contractors and builders in the State and had routed the money to the Delhi Congress leaders. He anticipated that Revanth Reddy will join the BJP after the 2023 Lok Sabha elections.

The petitioner sought a stay on all further proceedings of FIR including appearance before the lower court.