TELANGANA: HC Halts Kaleshwaram Probe Actions
Judicial Intervention
The Telangana High Court issued interim directives restraining the state government from initiating any coercive measures against former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) and ex-Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao based on the Justice PC Ghose Commission report.
This ruling addresses writ petitions filed by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders challenging the commission’s findings on alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS).
The court emphasized preserving procedural equity pending substantive adjudication.
Petitioners’ Grievances
KCR and Harish Rao sought to quash the 665-page Ghose Commission report, which critiqued planning deficiencies, financial improprieties, and supervisory lapses in the KLIS project.
They contended that the inquiry lacked impartiality and violated natural justice principles.
The petitions highlighted potential political motivations behind the probe, initiated post the Congress government’s ascension in December 2023.
Government Stance
The Advocate General, representing the state, asserted that the petitions were not maintainable and informed the bench of the administration’s intent to entrust the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) with probing KLIS anomalies.
He clarified that the CBI inquiry would rely on the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) assessment, which detailed structural failures like pier subsidence at Medigadda barrage, rather than the Ghose findings. This delineation aims to ensure independent scrutiny.
Commission Background
The one-member Ghose Commission, helmed by retired Supreme Court Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, was constituted in January 2024 to examine KLIS discrepancies following barrage damages in October 2023.
Its report, tabled in the assembly on August 2, 2025, implicated prior regime oversights, including cost escalations from ₹81,911 crore to over ₹1.47 lakh crore. NDSA’s interim evaluations corroborated engineering flaws.
Procedural Developments
The bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J Sreenivas Rao, declined immediate interim relief against potential governmental actions but adjourned the matter to October 7, 2025, for comprehensive arguments.
The court directed the Advocate General to furnish details on any impending executive decisions. This postponement allows for affidavit submissions and counter-responses.
Political Ramifications
The interim safeguard underscores judicial oversight in politically charged inquiries, potentially influencing Telangana’s governance narrative.
It reflects tensions between federal investigative agencies and state-led commissions amid allegations of infrastructural mismanagement.