Ghose panel gives leaders 15 days to respond
Hyderabad: The Justice P.C. Ghose commission of inquiry has issued notices to former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, former irrigation minister T. Harish Rao, and former finance minister and BJP MP Etala Rajendar to appear before it in the first part of June. The three are the first among politicians who have been called for cross-examination by the commission.
While Chandrashekar Rao was asked to appear before the commission on June 5, Harish Rao was given June 6 as his date, and Rajendar has been asked to present himself for questioning on June 9. They have been asked to respond to the notices within 15 days and about their willingness to be present for cross examination, it is learnt.
It may be recalled that the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme (KLIS) was conceived, designed, and built during the previous BRS regime. While Harish Rao was the irrigation minister, Rajendar, who since joined the BJP and is an MP from that party, was finance minister during the first term of the BRS government. In the second term, Chandrashekar Rao, the former chief minister, also held the irrigation portfolio.
Previously, when Chandrashekar Rao was summoned to appear before the then Justice Narasimha Reddy commission inquiring the power purchase agreements with Chhattisgarh government, he challenged the summons in the High Court which quashed his petition. He later sent a written response to the commission.
It remains to be seen if the former chief minister, will respond to the notice from the Justice Ghose commission, or will seek legal recourse to avoid appearing before it. Chandrashekar Rao, and Harish Rao are being viewed as key witnesses for the probe as several officials who were questioned by the commission had said that final decisions on various aspects were taken by them which were then followed and implemented at the project level.
As far as Rajendar’s role as the finance minister is concerned, the commission is expected to question him on how the government approved some controversial bills to the agencies which were allegedly cleared without work being done fully, or for works which were not part of the original work plans were paid for.
The commission has been investigating various aspects, and alleged ommissions and commisisons with respect to the Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme.
