Revanth, Uttam To Meet CBI Director in Delhi Seeking Probe Into Kaleshwaram Irregularities

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy will soon visit Delhi to personally meet the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and request the initiation of a probe into alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme (KLIS), as previously sought by the state government. The decision was taken during the Cabinet meeting held on Thursday.

The Cabinet also decided to constitute a sub-committee of ministers on the Kaleshwaram issue. This panel will consult legal experts and recommend the future course of action to the government in light of the latest orders of the Telangana High Court on the report submitted by the Justice P.C. Ghose commission. Advocate-General A Sudarshan Reddy briefed the Cabinet about the details of High Court's verdict.

Deliberating on the verdict, the Cabinet noted that the court had neither faulted the appointment of the judicial commission nor its findings. The court observed that the constitution of the commission was legal and constitutional. It raised objections only on technical grounds, stating that notices were not issued to certain individuals in the prescribed format. The court ruled that no action should be taken against those individuals solely based on the commission’s report, and that the findings mentioned against them would not be enforceable.

The Cabinet pointed out that the state government had already written seeking a CBI inquiry into the alleged irregularities, lapses and violations in the Kaleshwaram project. Even after nine months, the CBI probe has not commenced.

Legal experts have informed the government that the High Court’s judgment did not pose any obstacle to initiating a CBI investigation. In this context, the Cabinet decided to once again approach the CBI to expedite the inquiry.

It was further decided that after examining the High Court’s judgment, the government would consult legal experts in Delhi to determine whether to approach the Supreme Court against the orders. The final decision will be taken based on the advice and suggestions of legal experts.

Briefing mediapersons at the Secretariat after the Cabinet meeting, irrigation minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the High Court had not given a clean chit to anyone in its verdict on the Justice Ghose Commission report. He criticised leaders of the BRS for claiming victory and celebrating the judgment.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said the petitioners had approached the High Court seeking to quash the GO constituting the Ghose commission. The court did not find fault with the formation of the judicial commission or its findings. He reiterated that the court had clearly stated that the commission’s appointment was neither arbitrary, illegal nor ultra vires.

The objections raised by the court were limited to certain determinations against individuals, as notices had not been served to them in the prescribed manner. While granting relief to the petitioners, the court directed that no action be taken against them solely based on the commission’s report.

Uttam Kumar Reddy maintained that the state government had written to the Centre seeking a CBI inquiry into the irregularities and failures in the Kaleshwaram project. “The High Court’s verdict is not an obstacle to a CBI probe, and it has not given a clean chit to anyone,” he asserted, adding that the government would take further steps after examining the full judgment.