Ghose probe panel to quiz KCR, Harish in Jan

Hyderabad: Justice Ghose Commission on Kaleshwaram is likely to summon former chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and former irrigation minister T Harish Rao in January to record their statements on the alleged escalation of cost of the lift project and the poor maintenance of the three barrages—Medigadda, Sundilla, and Annaram—which suffered damages due to lack of operation and maintenance protocol.

Sources said that the Commission was busy analysing the affidavits and statements recorded from the irrigation officials on the damage of Medigadda and two other barrages. The final round of questioning of the former irrigation secretaries, including former Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, Rajat Kumar, and SK Joshi is slated to be in the third week of December.

“The Commission is consuming more time to arrive at a conclusion on the findings in the recent questioning of the irrigation officials. It will take more time to ascertain the important points drawn from the irrigation officials during the open house hearing. Based on the outcome, the Commission will quiz the former irrigation secretaries”, sources said. All the findings will be compiled and utilised to question the former CM and irrigation minister pinpointed the officials and said that the Commission was supposed to submit a report to the government before the end of its term on December 31. In view of pending questioning of the former secretaries, sources said that it will take some more time to wind up the investigation, and the final report will be submitted at the end of January or in February. “Questioning of KCR and Harish will be the last part of the investigation into the Kaleshwaram project,” officials confirmed.