Relief to KCR as HC Junks Ghose Panel Report on Kaleshwaram

The Telangana High Court on Wednesday granted major relief to BRS president and former CM KCR in connection with the findings of the Justice P. C. Ghose Commission on alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project on the Godavari River.

After hearing arguments on separate petitions filed by KCR, his nephew and former irrigation minister T. Harish Rao, senior IAS officer Smitha Sabharwal, and retired IAS officer S. K. Joshi, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh delivered its judgment on Wednesday.

The bench directed that no coercive action should be taken against the petitioners based on the commission’s report. It also stayed the operational use of the report for any further proceedings.

While upholding the legality of the state government’s decision to constitute the Justice P. C. Ghose Commission to probe alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram project, the High Court observed that the commission had not followed due procedure while questioning KCR and others.

The petitioners had challenged the validity of the commission appointed through GO No. 6 issued in March 2024 to investigate alleged irregularities in the multi-crore irrigation project.

After extensive hearings, arguments concluded on April 8, with the court reserving its verdict.

Delivering its judgment on Wednesday, the High Court made a key observation, faulting the state government for placing the commission’s findings in the public domain through the media before legislative scrutiny in the Assembly.

While affirming that the commission’s formation was legally valid, the court stressed procedural propriety and ruled that the report cannot be used as a basis for punitive or investigative action at this stage.

Senior advocate Gandra Mohan Rao, representing KCR, described the verdict as a “major relief,” stating that the report has effectively lost its enforceability.

He added that the court has barred reliance on the commission’s findings for initiating any probe, including by central agencies such as the CBI.