SC junks TG govt plea over ownership of 40-acre land

Hyderabad: In a major setback, the Supreme Court has rejected a petition filed by the Telangana government against a High Court order involving Shantha Sriram Constructions and the ownership of the lands of the company. The Apex Court ruled that the state had not challenged the judgment within the prescribed time.

A bench headed by Justice Deepankar Gupta dismissed the Telangana government’s petition and also observed that the disputed 40-acre land in Secunderabad is private property owned by Shantha Sriram Private Limited.

Shantha Sriram Constructions Pvt Ltd had approached the Telangana High Court alleging interference by Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), other government departments and the police on its private land. The property spread over 40 acre in Survey numbers 1 and 2 of Lothukunta village in the Medchal-Malkajgiri district.

After hearing the case, the single-judge bench of the Telangana High Court had directed the state government to relieve HYDRAA commissioner AV Ranganath from his post over alleged repeated willful disobedience of the court orders concerning the land. However, a division bench of the High Court later suspended that direction. The bench also instructed Ranganath and HYDRAA officials against entering the disputed property until further orders.

The Supreme Court’s latest decision came after the Telangana government challenged the High Court’s judgment in favour of Shantha Sriram Constructions.

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The Hans India