Telangana HC Summons HYDRAA Commissioner

Justice C.V. Bhaskar Reddy of the Telangana High Court on Friday summoned A.V. Ranganath, Commissioner, HYDRAA, for wilful violation of an order passed by the court on September 25, 2024. The action complained of relates to the alleged demolition of a farmhouse belonging to a 98-year-old agriculturist at Ailapur Village in Ameenpur Mandal of Sangareddy District, despite an interim direction restraining the authorities from taking any coercive action.

The judge is dealing with a contempt case filed by M.A. Shareef, seeking to summon the respondent authorities and punish them for wilful and wanton violation of the order passed in a writ petition filed by him in 2024.

The petitioner claims to be the owner and possessor of agricultural land admeasuring Ac 36.37 at Ailapur Village and contended that the V Additional District Judge Court, Medak at Sangareddy, declared him the absolute owner and possessor of the land by a judgment and decree of April 2009. An appeal against the decree remains pending before the High Court. In the writ petition, the petitioner alleged that the authorities, without following the procedure prescribed by law, were attempting to forcibly dispossess him and demolish the farmhouse constructed on patta land in Survey Nos. 175 (Part) and 173 (Part).

The Government Pleader for Revenue submitted at that stage that the land was recorded as government land in all revenue records and that a dispute existed over title and possession. Taking note of the decree in favour of the petitioner, the pendency of the appeal and the direction of the Supreme Court that no demolition be carried out anywhere in the country without its leave, the judge directed the respondents not to take any coercive action for removal of the constructions existing on the land, and to follow due procedure in accordance with law if the constructions formed part of the Full Tank Level (FTL). 

Senior Counsel appearing for the petitioner, pointed out that the authorities proceeded with the demolition in clear breach of the interim order of the court. The counsel further argued that despite the subsisting orders of the High Court, police bandobast was provided to carry out the demolition. Taking a serious view of the matter, the judge came down heavily on the authorities and directed A.V. Ranganath, Commissioner, HYDRAA, to appear in person on December 06.

-L Ravichander