HC grants bail with riders to Meridian case accused
Justice Surender of the Telangana High Court on Wednesday granted conditional bail to the five accused in the Hotel Meridian case, wherein accused Krishna Surya Prakash and four others attacked one Mohammed Liyaqat on September 10, who subsequently died later. The dispute revolved around Liyaqat, a customer of Hotel Meridian, seeking extra raita for the biryani he had ordered. In the CCTV footage, the petitioners submitted that the victim’s friend had first attacked the accused, following which they retaliated. Shyam Agarwal, counsel for the petitioner, argued that the investigation was completed and the police mechanically charged the petitioners. Justice Surender, granting bail, imposed conditions seeking a bond of Rs 25,000 each and mandating reporting to the investigating office every Monday. The judge reasoned that the attack on the deceased was not with an intent to murder and was not premeditated.
HC orders status quo in Mission Bhagiratha petition
Justice T. Vinod Kumar of the Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed all parties to maintain the status quo for laying of pipelines under Mission Bhagiratha after Boga Mahesh Kumar, a resident of Teegalpahad village, filed a writ petition challenging the demolition of his compound wall by municipal authorities. The counsel for the petitioner argued that the laying of pipelines for Mission Bhagiratha was being carried out by encroaching upon his land. Further, the counsel said that the municipal authority was continuing with the work despite representations by the petitioner. When the petitioner constructed a compound wall to protect his property, municipal authorities demolished the same on the grounds that he did not have permission. The standing counsel submitted that the compound wall was an unauthorised construction. The court expressed anguish as to how the petitioner's request to stop laying water pipelines was ignored and how the authorities demolished the compound wall constructed on his own land. The court directed the parties to maintain the status quo and asked the standing counsel to file a counter.
HC defers hearing on HRC vacancy
A two-judge bench of the Telangana High Court on Wednesday deferred the hearing of a chairperson vacancy in the Telangana Human Rights Commission in view of the elections. A PIL was filed by Adnan Mahmood, an advocate, seeking the appointment of a chairperson and members to the TS HRC. The petitioner contended that there was no progress to ensure appointments, alleging there would be gross human rights violations during elections.
Harender Prasad, a special government pleader, contended that no appointment could take place as per the code of conduct of the Election Commission of India. The matter was adjourned to December.
HC dismisses petitions on KNRUHS GST demand
A two-judge bench of the Telangana High of Justice P. Sam Koshy and Justice Laxmi Narayana Alishetty on Tuesday dismissed a batch of writ petitions filed by Care College of Nursing and others, challenging the common demand notice issued by Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences to pay pending GST arrears on affiliation and inspection fee at the rate of 18 per cent from 2017 to 2023. Gaddam Srininas, the counsel for the petitioner, contended that the notification issued by the Government of India in December 2017, central tax (rate) as of June 28, 2017, exempting the intra-state supply of services, under Sl. No. 66 Heading 9992, exempted the services provided by educational institutions from the preview of GST. The petitioner contended that in the meeting conducted by the GST Council on January 18, 2018, exemption was given to services relating to admission or conduct of examination provided to all educational institutions, as defined in the notification and to exempt the services by educational institution by way of conduct of entrance examination against consideration in the form of entrance fee. The bench dismissed the batch of writ petitions.
HC issues notice on temple land encroachment
Justice C. Sumalatha of the Telangana High Court on Wednesday issued a notice in a case of encroachment of lands of the Seetha Ramachandra Swami temple at Shameerpet. The Seetha Ramachandra Swamy Devasthanam Bhumula Parirakshna Samithi, Devaryamjal, approached the High Court aggrieved by the inaction of revenue authorities in preventing the encroachment of lands belonging to the temple in Shameerpet. The counsel for the petitioner argued that the temple comes under the endowment department and is managed by its executive officer. Even though multiple instances of encroachment were brought to the notice of the authorities concerned, no action was taken. The court issued notice to the revenue and endowment departments and admitted the matter.
