Telangana high court suspends contempt order against HYDRAA chief AV Ranganath | Hyderabad News
HYDERABAD: A division bench of the Telangana high court, on Tuesday, suspended a single judge’s order that had found HYDRAA chief AV Ranganath guilty of contempt of court and asked the chief secretary to relieve him from the post for wilful disobedience of court orders. The order was passed in connection with a dispute over around 40 acres of land at Lothkunta, Secunderabad, claimed to be owned by Shanta Sriram Constructions.The bench, comprising Justices P Sam Koshy and Nandikonda Narsing Rao, posted the matter to Nov 3 for final hearing. It was hearing a contempt appeal moved by Ranganath challenging the single judge’s order. The bench, however, made it clear that Ranganath or any HYDRAA personnel should not enter the disputed site in the interim.In July, a single judge had asked the chief secretary to find a suitable replacement for Ranganath while hearing a contempt filed by the construction firm. It had alleged that the agency entered the site in violation of the existing court orders and demolished structures.Senior counsel Rajiv Shakdher, appearing for Ranganath, contended that while there was a long history to the dispute, the punishment imposed on the appellant (Ranganath) by the single judge went far beyond what was permissible under contempt rules.“Even SC held that courts can sentence him, or impose fine, but this kind of an order to relieve is way beyond the court’s jurisdiction in a contempt matter,” the counsel stated. Shakdher contended that had the single judge granted more time to file a detailed counter, the direction may not have been issued in the same manner. He submitted that the land claimed by the construction firm was around three km away from the disputed site.He also contended that the 62 contempt cases pointed to by the judge as pending against Ranganath were not a part of the present case.In response, the bench asked if this was the punishment for 62 contempt cases, what the fate of the finance secretary who is facing over 5,000 contempt cases, be. The bench further questioned how even as courts issue contempt notices and wait for the response, agencies like HYDRAA go on special drives, particularly over weekends, and take up demolitions.The bench also took note of the contention that HYDRAA “has done some good work”. “ We are with you but when the matter is sub judice how could you have done this? Prima facie it appears to be he (appellant) was over enthusiastic,” observed the bench.
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