Telangana High Court Stops Govt from Acting on Ghose Commission Report

Hyderabad The Telangana High Court on Tuesday, September 2, stopped the Congress government from taking any action on the Kaleshwaram project based on the Justice P.C. Ghose Commission’s report.

The order comes as a relief for former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) and former Finance Minister T. Harish Rao. The court also postponed the next hearing on the case to October 7.

The High Court said the case cannot be handed over to the CBI solely on the basis of the commission’s findings. This ruling came a day after Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy told the Assembly that the investigation into the project’s irregularities would be given to the CBI. The Assembly had also passed a resolution supporting this move.

CBI Probe Demand

Speaking in the Assembly, Reddy said a CBI inquiry was necessary because the project involves interstate issues, multiple government departments, and central agencies. He pointed out that several national bodies, including financial institutions, were part of the project’s design, construction, and funding.

The Chief Minister also cited reports from the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and the judicial commission, which highlighted serious flaws in the planning, design, and quality control of the Medigadda barrage. According to him, these failures led to the collapse of the structure.

Reddy further said that the state has already paid nearly ?49,835 crore towards the project loans, including ?29,956 crore in interest and ?19,879 crore in principal. He claimed that the loans were taken at very high interest rates under the previous BRS government, adding that he had negotiated with the Centre to restructure debts worth over ?26,000 crore.

During the debate, he accused the BRS of deliberately shifting the barrage location from Thummidi Hatti to Medigadda against expert advice, alleging it was done to misuse public money.

Commission Report

The Ghose Commission, led by former Supreme Court judge Justice P.C. Ghose, submitted its report on July 31. The report pointed to several irregularities in the project and suggested that action could be taken against KCR under the law.

When the report was tabled in the Assembly on Sunday, BRS members staged a walkout, claiming they were not given enough time to respond.

 The commission’s findings stated that while different ministers were negligent, the former Chief Minister could be held directly accountable for the lapses in the construction and operation of the barrages.

 Background

The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, built on the Godavari River in Bhupalpally district, was one of the flagship projects of the BRS government. However, structural damage to the barrages turned into a major political issue ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections.