Telangana HC Reserves Verdict on IMG Land Case
HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Thursday reserved orders in the two PILs seeking a CBI probe into the allotment of 850 acres of government land at Gachibowli and Mamidipally in 2004 by the then TD government to IMG Bharata Academies Private Limited in a non-transparent manner at a very less cost to build, develop, own and operate sports academies.
One PIL was filed by veteran journalist A.B.K. Prasad and YSRC leader Vijaysai Reddy and another by city-based advocate T. Sriranga Rao. Both PILs were filed in 2012.
Siddharth Luthra, Supreme Court senior counsel, appearing for Pothuganti Ramulu, former sports minister in the then TD regime, informed the court that the petitioners espoused political interest rather than public interest.
He said that Vijaysai Reddy was in judicial custody when the PIL was filed. He was arrested by the CBI in quid pro quo cases and this showed his intentions. Vijaysai Reddy had not divulged details of their political affiliation, rather suppressed this important aspect in their PILs, which showed their malicious intentions and to settle political scores with the TD. Vijaysai Reddy was the chartered accountant of Y.S. Vijayamma, who had filed a PIL seeking CBI probe into the decisions of the TD government and it was dismissed by the High Court and as well as the Supreme court.
Vijayamma had made then Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and other ministers as respondents. But, Vijaysai Reddy intentionally did not name them, because they would approach the Supreme Court.
Vedula Venkataramana, senior counsel appearing for IMG Bharata, argued that the PILs were not maintainable because the petitioners did not name the then chief minister or his Cabinet ministers as respondents. Moreover, the petitioners did not make any concerned person (whether director or MD) from IMG Bharata and only made the corporate entity the respondent.
Further, senior counsel argued that the Cabinet decision was not an offence or it could not be deemed as a crime. It could be said to be unconstitutional or violation of provisions.
Gandra Mohan Rao, senior counsel appearing for the petitioners, argued that it could not be said that nothing was left now to be investigated as the 850 acres of land was vested with the Telangana government. He insisted that there should be a probe into the illegalities committed while allotting the land to IMG Bharata.
The intent of getting the benefit of allotment of land should also be probed, he said. One cannot say that theft has occurred but the material has been seized so there should be no enquiry. The intent behind the theft should be probed, contended senior counsel.
On the conclusion of arguments, the division bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Sreenivas Rao, reserved orders in both PILs.