Andhra Pradesh, Telangana governments okay graft trials in corruption cases
Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments have cleared the way to prosecute public servants involved in corruption cases by allowing their trials.
Mr Ravikiran Rao, special prosecutor appearing for the Anti Corruption Bureaus (ACBs) of both the states, submitted that both the governments have given sanction in almost all cases, except for two cases, pending since the last four years and the authorities have been taking steps to commence the trial against officials involved in corruption.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar was dealing with two PILs by O.M. Debara, a resident of the city, and P.V. Krishnaiah, a practicing advocate of the High Court, against the liquor syndicate scam accused.
Mr Ravikiran Rao told the bench that orders have already been issued against the officials involved in the liquor syndicate scam and sanctions are awaited only in two cases, one each in Telangna State and Andhra Pradesh, which are not related to the liquor scam.
He said the ACB is yet to receive sanction to prosecute M. Balaji Naiak, assistant commandant of the special police battalion of Nalgonda, from the Telangana government and AP has to clear the trial of C. Shanthi Swar-oop, forest range officer.
The bench directed both the governments to accord sanction in both the cases in a week.
Hyderabad HC to review SEZ land mortgage
The Hyderabad HC on Monday decided to examine the alleged mortgage of lands which were acquired for the establishment of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Kakinada by private parties to raise loans from banks and FIs.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar was dealing with a PIL by I. Suryanarayana, the secretary of the Struggle Committee of Kakinada SEZ, seeking a direction to the Centre to re-examine the project. The petitioner’s counsel alleged that the GMR SEZ and Port Holdings, which took over responsibility of setting up the SEZ, had mortgaged the SEZ land to banks and financial institutions and raised '1,700 crore without prior sanction from the government. Issuing notices to the Centre, the state and other respondents, the bench said it will examine the matter.
Superannuation plea dismissed
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar of the Hyderabad High Court on Monday refused to intervene with the decision of the Andhra Pradesh government extending the age limit for superannuation of government servants from 58 to 60 years.
The Andhra Pradesh Unemployed Association moved the court seeking to declare the action of the government through a government order on June 26, 2014, as illegal and unconstitutional.
While hearing the plea, Justice Sengupta pointed out, “Increasing the age of retirement is a policy decision of the government. How can the court interfere with it? There is no justifiable cause made by the petitioner to warrant a judicail interference bt this court.”
Observing that providing employment cannot be considered a statutory right, the bench dismissed the petition.
