Civic babu, educational centre head get 6-month jail

HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday sentenced municipal department higher executive P. Satya Babu and Vishwa Bharati Educational Institute president M. Ratna Reddy to six months of imprisonment and penalised them Rs2,000, each.

 Satya Babu is a former municipal commissioner of Narsingi.

In a case of violating court orders over construction, Justice K. Lakshman issued the sentence on the grounds that they, wilfully and deliberately, violated court orders and undertaking furnished to the court on construction of a building on two guntas at Manchirevula village in Narsingi municipality of Rangareddy district.

Ratna Reddy previously sought HMDA’s permission to construct buildings for educational purposes but had started construction before the approval.

When this was challenged, he submitted an undertaking to the court that he would not undertake further construction, without confirmation of approval by HMDA. Meanwhile, the HMDA rejected his application. However, he continued the construction up to three floors.

When the same was brought to the court's notice, the High Court in 2022 directed the then municipal commissioner of Narsingi, P. Satya Babu, to get the building demolished.

But, in connivance with the builder, Satya Babu was held to have demolished the building partially. The court took it as a deliberate violation of the orders and punished them with imprisonment and fines. However, the court suspended the orders for 10 days, giving them time to avail of further legal remedies.