Land Acquisition Compensation Scam in Kandukuru Exposed, Justice Orders Recalculation

Hyderabad: Justice M. Sudheer Kumar set aside proceedings of Kandukuru revenue division officer (RDO) and ordered recalculation of compensation payable for land acquired in Kothur and Thimmaipally of Kandukuru mandal. The TSIIC had acquired the land for road-widening. P. Jangiah and 15 others alleged that the RDO, had played fraud on them and paid an ex gratia at Rs 8 lakh per acre though they were entitled for compensation under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabili-tation and Resettlement Act, 2013. Others in the same village had been paid Rs 42 lakh per acre, they said. The petitioners claimed that the officials had secured their signatures on blank forms. Justice Sudheer Kumar noted that there was no material to support the contention of the respondents that the petitioners had given their consent for payment of Rs 8 lakh ex gratia in exchange for the land. The judge directed the authorities to compute the compensation under the 2013 Act within four months, after securing the market value data from the petitioners.

Court acquits Asst labour officer:

Justice K. Surendar of the Telangana High Court set aside the conviction of Shyamala Pramod Kumar, former assistant labour officer, who was caught in a trap case, under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA). The prosecution said Kumar, while working at Godavarikhani, had accepted the bribe for issuing labour licences. He had been trapped by the ACB. The appellant said he had imposed fines on local traders; they decided to get him trapped by the ACB or ensure his transfer. The cash was recovered from the adjoining room in a polyethene cover. “There is no evidence as to how the amount has travelled to the next room and was found in a polythene bag. Unless the evidence of the witnesses is to the effect that the appellant went to the other room after the Prime Witness 1 and 2 met the appellant and before ACB party entered the room, the recovery cannot be believed,” he said. “It is is for the prosecution to prove all the circumstances and events linking one another by producing evidence to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.”

Suicide abetment convict freed:

Justice K. Surender set aside the conviction of an agriculturist for abetting the suicide of a couple. The judge allowed the criminal appeal filed by Gali Srinivasa Rao of Wyra mandal challenging his conviction to 10 years in jail by the Assistant Sessions Judge of Sathupalli. The prosecution stated that the couple committed suicide as the appellant abused the husband. The petitioner said the complaint was based on hearsay. Justice Surender said that to attract an offence under IPC  Section 306, there must be an abetment and such abetment should be with an intention or aim to instigate or abet the victims to die by suicide. “The appellant had gone to the shop and asked for an item to be given at lesser cost. When refused, the appellant used abusive language. This is not sufficient to attract the essential ingredients of Section 306 of IPC.”