Hyderabad: As widely expected, Justice PC Ghose Commission, investigating the sinking of piers at the Medigadda barrage of multipurpose Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, served a notice on former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Tuesday and asked him to appear before it by June 5.

The Ghose Commission, which is also looking into leakages at Annaram and Sundilla barrages of the project, also summoned the BRS leader and former irrigation minister T Harish Rao and BJP MP Eatala Rajendar on June 6 and June 9, respectively. Rajender was the finance minister in the TRS (now BRS) government when the project was initiated.

Official sources said Justice Ghose would seek clarifications from the former chief minister on the statements of irrigation officials recorded by the commission earlier. The commission already grilled more than 50 irrigation officials, including the retired chief engineers who executed the works of the multi-crore Kaleshwaram project. Most of the irrigation officials, whom the commission questioned, admitted that KCR finalised the designs of the three damaged barrages under the project. The officials of the Central Design Organisation of the state’s Irrigation department also submitted evidence to the commission recently on the change of the project designs under the instructions of the former chief minister.

Official sources said that alleged corruption in the construction of Kaleshwaram project would come up during the questioning of KCR. He is likely to be questioned on the mobilisation of advances, borrowing loans at higher interest rates from the Central funding agencies and the role of former CM in the financial management of the entire project. The commission would also question KCR's role in the operation and maintenance of the damaged barrages.

Harish Rao and Rajender's role in the project designs and release of funds during the construction of the project will be crucial to ascertain whether the transparent methods were adopted in the finalization of project designs and execution of the entire project construction, the sources said.