Telangana High Court Grants Another Month of Protection in Kaleshwaram Case
The Telangana High Court has extended interim protection for former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and three other individuals. This protection shields them from any adverse action based on the findings of the PC Ghose Commission of Inquiry. The court set the next hearing for February 25, 2026.
Court Proceedings and Petitions
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G M Mohiuddin handled the matter. The bench considered four separate writ petitions. Each petitioner sought to quash the PC Ghose Commission report on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project.
The petitioners include former irrigation minister T Harish Rao, former chief secretary Shailendra Kumar Joshi, and former CMO secretary Smita Sabharwal. They all received protection from potential legal actions linked to the commission's report.
Timeline of Legal Protection
The court first granted interim protection to K Chandrasekhar Rao and Harish Rao on September 2, 2025. Shailendra Kumar Joshi received similar protection on September 16. Smita Sabharwal obtained her protection order on September 25.
During Monday's hearing, Advocate General A Sudarshan Reddy informed the court. He stated that the petitioners filed their reply affidavits recently. This late filing prevented them from submitting written arguments on time.
Arguments from Both Sides
Senior Advocate C Aryama Sundaram represented the petitioners. He argued that the state government filed its counter affidavits about a month late. The government missed the deadline set by the court in its November 12 order.
Sundaram clarified that the petitioners filed their reply affidavits well before Monday's hearing. However, he admitted they could not prepare written submissions due to time constraints.
Court's Decision and Next Steps
The bench considered arguments from both legal teams. It decided to adjourn the case. The court ordered all parties to submit written arguments one week before the next hearing.
Judges listed the matter for further hearing on February 25, 2026. They confirmed that the existing interim protection orders would remain in effect until that date.
Background of the Kaleshwaram Probe
The PC Ghose Commission investigated alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project. Its report identified serious problems across multiple project stages. These included conceptualization, planning, design, construction, and financial management.
The commission specifically examined issues with the Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages. It found evidence of grave irregularities throughout the project's development and execution.
Legal Challenges and Concerns
The petitioners approached the High Court soon after a significant development. The state government forwarded the Ghose Commission report to the Central Bureau of Investigation on September 1. This followed an extensive debate in the Telangana legislative assembly.
K Chandrasekhar Rao and Harish Rao expressed serious concerns. They feared the state government would use the commission's findings to support a CBI investigation against them. This prompted their legal challenge on September 2.
Shailendra Kumar Joshi and Smita Sabharwal filed similar petitions on September 3 and September 25 respectively. All petitioners raised identical legal objections against the commission's procedures.
Key Legal Arguments
The petitioners made several important claims in their court filings. They alleged the PC Ghose Commission failed to follow proper legal procedures. Specifically, the commission did not issue notices under Sections 8-B and 8-C of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952.
They argued this omission violated both statutory law and principles of natural justice. The petitioners claimed they received no opportunity to respond to allegations against them. They also said they could not cross-examine witnesses during the commission's investigation.
The Congress government established the Ghose Commission to investigate the KLIP project. The probe focused on the period when the Bharat Rashtra Samithi governed Telangana. The commission submitted its final report to the government on August 31.
