CBI Requests Telangana HC To Dismiss IAS Officer's Petition

Hyderabad:The CBI requested the Telangana High Court to dismiss the petition filed by IAS officer Y. Srilakshmi, who sought quashing of the agency’s case against her in relation to alleged favoritism to Penna Cements during the tenure of the Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy government in undivided AP.

The CBI in its case had alleged that Srilakshmi had approved land allotment to Penna Cements and gave subsidies for Pioneer Hotels Ltd while holding the post of secretary of industries.

CBI counsel on Monday argued that the petition filed by Srilakshmi was not maintainable, as a similar case earlier filed by her had been withdrawn in 2022. He contended that re-filing a petition after nine months of its withdrawal was invalid. CBI counsel pointed out that a discharge petition filed by Srilakshmi was pending before the CBI court.

During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel argued that the government’s sanction for prosecution of the official under Sections 13(1)(d) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act was invalid, as those provisions did not exist at the time the sanction was granted. Countering this, the CBI clarified that the Act was amended in 2018, whereas the chargesheet had been filed in 2016. He also stated that the petitioner had not challenged the government’s sanction order.

The court adjourned the matter to November 17, directing the petitioner’s counsel to submit written arguments.

Telangana HC Enquires Govt on Montha Relief Measures

Hyderabad:The Telangana High Court on Monday sought information from the government by November 17 about the steps taken in respect of relief operations after Cyclone Montha struck certain districts of the state.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin was dealing with a PIL complaining non-compliance of the orders of the High Court in 2023, in regard to preparing and submitting the disaster management plan to manage the fallout of disasters.

Chikkudu Prabhakar, counsel for the petitioner, argued that due to the state`s failure, Warangal and Hanamkonda were inundated for two days and many villages were submerged due to the rain from Cyclone Montha. He submitted that about 40 colonies in Warangal were inundated and that the people do not have drinking water, food and primary medicines. It was mandatory to provide minimum standard relief to the people during disasters under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

Telangana HC Seeks Govt Response on Kokapet Land Transfer

Hyderabad:The Telangana High Court gave two weeks to the government to file its counter-affidavit in the PILs challenging the alienating of 11 acres of prime land in Survey No.s 239 and 240 of Kokapet, Gandipet mandal, Rangareddy district, to the BRS.

Forum for Good Governance, an NGO, and advocate A. Venkatrami Reddy had filed separate public interest litigations in 2023 and 2024 respectively, challenging the undated memo issued in 2023 that alienated land to the BRS. The petitioners submitted that the cost of the land was around `1,100 crore.

The PILs were pending till now, as the government did not file the counters. Additional advocate-general Imran Khan on Monday sought a week as a last chance to file the counter. He submitted that the counters were ready and awaiting the signature of the authorities concerned. The court allowed his request and scheduled the hearing on December 10.

SC Defers Hearing on Revanth Reddy’s ‘Cash-for-Votes’ Plea to Jan 2026

Hyderabad:The Supreme Court on Monday deferred hearing in Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s plea seeking quashing of the trial in the 2015 ‘cash for votes’ case to the third week of January 2026. An apex court bench comprising Justice J.K. Maheshwari and Justice Vijay Bishnoi noted that a similar question of law concerning the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act had been discussed in another pending matter, in which judgment had been reserved.

Revanth Reddy had argued that the prosecution against him was unsustainable, contending that the alleged trap laid by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) was illegal as it was laid before any FIR was registered. The court said it would take up the matter after the judgment in the connected case was delivered.