Hyderabad: Telangana high court on Wednesday refused to close a contempt case against finance secretary Sandeep Sultania over alleged delay in paying compensation to men and women displaced by the Mallannasagar and other reservoirs under the Kaleshwaram project.Though compensation amounts were released on April 14, the court questioned the absence of the official despite a clear direction to appear. Justice Vakiti Ramakrishna Reddy directed the govt to explain the delay in payment of interest on the compensation and allocation of house sites to the affected individuals, and adjourned the matter to April 17. Of the 79 petitioners who approached the court, only 45 received compensation, while 34 died without receiving any relief. The petitioners from Vemulaghat and Etigadda Kistapur had moved the high court in 2019 seeking Rs 12.54 lakh compensation per person and a 250 square yard house site each, claiming recognition as separate beneficiaries rather than being grouped with families. The high court ruled in their favour in 2023, directing the state to extend rehabilitation and reconstruction benefits to them as single individuals. With the orders not implemented, they filed a contempt petition in July 2025.The court had earlier recorded an assurance that payments would be made within six weeks and closed the contempt case. However, as the compensation was not paid within that period, the court reopened proceedings in March this year.On April 2, the court directed Sultania to appear personally on April 15. Compensation was released a day before the hearing, but petitioners’ counsel said interest from 2019 and house site allocation remain pending. The court kept the case pending.
