No Adverse Action Based on Kaleshwaram Commission Report Until Next Hearing: Telangana High Court Grants Interim Relief - 2025-09-04

Telangana High Court Grants Interim Protection in Kaleshwaram Inquiry Case

HYDERABAD – The Telangana High Court on Friday granted interim protection to petitioners, including Mr. Jaggannagari Venkat Sai, directing the State of Telangana not to take any adverse action against them based on the findings of the Commission of Inquiry's report on the Kaleshwaram Project. The order provides temporary relief to the petitioners until the next hearing scheduled for October 7, 2025.

The division bench, comprising Justices AKrS and GMM, issued the directive while hearing two writ petitions (W.P.Nos.24835 and 24837 of 2025) challenging matters related to the inquiry.

Case Background and Arguments

The case revolves around the report submitted by the Commission of Inquiry tasked with investigating alleged irregularities in the execution of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project. The petitioners, represented by a team of senior advocates including Mr. Aryama Sundaram and Mr. Dama Seshadri Naidu, approached the High Court seeking legal intervention, presumably against potential punitive measures arising from the Commission's report.

During the hearing, Mr. A. Sudershan Reddy, the Advocate General for Telangana, submitted on instructions that the state did not presently intend to take adverse action against the petitioners based on the Commission’s findings.

However, the Advocate General, appearing alongside Senior Counsel Mr. S. Niranjan Reddy, also informed the court of a significant parallel development. He stated that the matter concerning irregularities in the construction and execution of the Kaleshwaram Dam has been separately referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). This referral was based on reports from the National Dam Safety Authority and other sources, indicating a multi-pronged investigation into the project.

Court's Interim Order

After hearing the submissions, the bench recorded the Advocate General's statement but went further to issue a clear protective order. The court stated:

"In the meantime, no adverse action based upon the findings of the Commission’s report be taken against the petitioners till the next date of hearing."

This interim order ensures that the petitioners are shielded from any repercussions stemming directly from the Commission's report while the court examines the merits of their writ petitions.

Next Steps

The court has granted the Advocate General two weeks to file a reply to the interlocutory applications filed by the petitioners. The matter is scheduled to be listed again on October 7, 2025 , by which time the pleadings are expected to be complete as per a previous order dated August 22, 2025. The final outcome will depend on the arguments presented and the court's examination of the legal challenges raised in the petitions.