Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court division bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin on Wednesday “dismissed” the PIL seeking a probe by the Enforcement Directorate into ‘misappropriation’ of public money in “Narayanpet-Kodangal LI scheme

The PIL, filed by Bakka Judson, former AICC member and social activist, sought a direction to the ED joint director to initiate a preliminary inquiry into the alleged quid pro quo arrangement involving CM A Revanth Reddy, (former TPCC chief), Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Minister for Housing and Revenue, Megha Engineering (MEIL) and Raghava Constructions India Pvt Ltd.

The HC registry objected to PIL; when it came up for hearing before the bench at the scrutiny stage, CJ Singh, turned to counsel for petitioner and observed “you were a member of the AICC.. you were “expelled from the party”… there is a mala fide behind filing of the petition…this is not the form for you to raise this issue”.

The petitioner had not satisfied the court on the aspect of quid pro quo… saying so, the bench “dismissed’ the PIL at the scrutiny stage.

Judsan contended that the cost of the scheme was escalated from Rs. 1,450.51 crore to Rs. 2,945.5 crore vide GO 14 and further revised to Rs.4,350 crore with a mala fide intent to favour MEIL and Raghava Constructions India Pvt Ltd controlled by Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, causing huge loss to the exchequer.

He alleged that Rs. 3,000 crore worth contracts had been allocated to MEIL and Raghava Constructions Ltd in exchange for financial contributions through electoral bonds to the Congress party in Telangana in violation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The contract was awarded to the two companies by manipulating the tendering process by escalating the project cost and disqualifying competent bidders such as L&T and NCC Ltd.

MEIL had contributed Rs. 148 crore in October and November 2023 in electoral bonds to the Congress and also several crores for electioneering exigencies in 2023 Assembly polls so that the company is allotted the contract of the schems, contended the petitioner.

MEIL, represented by its MD P V Krishna Reddy, Raghava Constructions (India) Pvt Ltd, Revanth Reddy (former TPCC chief), Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge are respondents in the PIL.