The Telangana High Court has provided a big relief to former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) and former irrigation minister T. Harish Rao. The court has stopped the state government from taking any action against them related to alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project. This stay will stay in place until the court gives further orders, with the next hearing scheduled for October 7.
This decision comes after the court reviewed requests from KCR and Harish Rao, who had filed petitions seeking to quash the report by the Ghose Commission. The commission had investigated alleged cheating and mismanagement in the construction of the project during the BRS government’s rule.
The court’s order also warns the Telangana government not to take any coercive steps against KCR and Harish Rao based on the Ghose Commission’s report. The high-profile case gained momentum after the Telangana government decided to recommend a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the allegations. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced this decision in the Assembly early Monday morning after a long debate on the report.
KCR and Harish Rao had last month challenged the Ghose Commission’s findings in court, asking for an early hearing. Senior lawyers representing them argued that the government should not be allowed to take action based on the report.
The Telangana Advocate General clarified that the government’s decision to involve the CBI was based on a separate report by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), and he emphasized that the Ghose Commission report is not linked to it. He also argued that the petitions filed by KCR and Harish Rao should be dismissed because they are not legally valid.
After listening to both sides, the court ordered that no action be taken against the petitioners based on the Ghose Commission report. The next hearing is set for October 7, and the court asked the government to present detailed responses to the petitions by October 4. The petitioners will have a week afterward to reply if they want.
The controversy started when KCR and Harish Rao challenged the legality of the Ghose Commission, claiming it was improperly formed according to law. They argued that the commission’s findings hurt their reputation and were biased, violating principles of natural justice. They also labeled the report as prejudiced and defamatory.
The Ghose Commission, headed by former Supreme Court judge Pinaki Chandra Ghose, submitted its findings on July 31. It was created on March 14, 2024, to investigate alleged irregularities in the planning, design, construction, and management of the Kaleshwaram project’s key barrages—Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla.
The report held KCR directly responsible for flaws in the project’s planning and execution and also pointed fingers at Harish Rao for misconduct related to the project.
As the legal battle continues, both sides await the next court hearing, which could shape the future of the investigations and political accountability in Telangana.
