Notices served to Deccan Chronicle Holdings Private Limited over land misuse

Hyderabad: The Division Bench on Thursday issued notices to the State government, Deccan Chronicle Holdings Private Limited and TNR Constructions, Kothapet directing them to respond to the notices.

The Chief Justice Bench was hearing the public interest litigation filed by Perala Shekar Rao, a social worker, challenging the action of the then State government in allocating prime land admeasuring 6,357 square yards in LB Nagar and the inaction of the present government in not restraining Deccan Chronicle Holdings Private Limited and TNR Constructions from converting the said land into a commercial complex. The petitioner also sought a CBI probe into the irregularities committed by Deccan Chronicle Holdings Private Limited in collusion with TSR Constructions.

The erstwhile united AP government vide GO.Ms.No. 206, dated 27-2-2009 had allotted a prime land located in LB Nagar, admeasuring 6,357 square yards at Rs 7,000 per yard to the Deccan Chronicle Holdings Private Limited for the purpose of running a newspaper and today the value of the land is Rs 100 crore.

Deccan Chronicle Holdings Private Limited, apart from newspaper publishing, has entered into business of Indian Premier League and owned a team by name "Deccan Chargers" and due to mismanagement, the company was engulfed in a debt trap and to wriggle out of the debt trap, it was trying to convert the prime land allotted to it for the purpose of publishing newspaper into a commercial property.

The Enforcement Directorate, while probing into the mismanagement of Deccan Chronicle Holdings Private Limited, had attached many properties belonging to it, leaving aside the prime land located in LB Nagar. As the prime land is not attached by the ED, now, Deccan Chronicles Holdings Private Limited in collaboration with TNR Constructions is making all efforts to develop this prime property into a commercial complex contrary to the purpose, for which the land was allotted to it.

Notices are issued to the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration, Commissioner, GHMC, District Collector, Ranga reddy District, Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate, Deccan Chronicle Holdings Private Limited and TNR Constructions, Kothapet, Hyderabad, directing them to respond within six weeks.