Hyderabad: Telangana high court, on Tuesday, granted a ‘final opportunity’ to the state govt to explain its stand on a public interest ligitation (PIL) challenging the regularisation of a piece of land measuring 425 square yards in favour of govt adviser (public affairs) K Kesava Rao’s daughter and Telangana Women’s Commission (TGWC) Gadwal Vijayalaxmi and son K Venkateshwar Rao.Noting that govt was yet to bring on record its stand in the matter, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin directed that a detailed affidavit be filed by the govt in three weeks. The court ordered the govt to explain the steps taken in connection with its previous order directing it to deliberate the matter with the concerned department and, if necessary, to rectify the order (GO) through which the lands have been regularised. The matter has been adjourned to Sept 3.Hearing the PIL filed by Gadeela Raghuveer Reddy, a businessman, the bench had during the previous hearings questioned why there was a deviation in the application process and regularisation fee, and why special exceptions were given to only these two parties.On Tuesday, additional advocate general Mohd Imran Khan informed the court that the PIL has been filed to settle “personal scores” between the parties, and that an extortion case has already been registered against the petitioner. He sought additional four weeks’ time to submit the govt’s stand.Taking note of this, the bench said, “Seeking four weeks’ time after around nine months is not fair. It appears as if the state is sitting on it.”In response, Khan informed that the issue was purely between the parties and the state was in no way concerned. “Let the stand of the department concerned be brought on record. If he (petitioner) is indulged in some nefarious activity, bring that also on record,” said the bench.
