HC Reserves Verdict On BRS' Petition In Meddigada Case

The Telangana High Court today reserved its verdict on a petition filed by former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and former minister T Harish Rao concerning the Medigadda barrage collapse case.

The petition challenges the orders issued by the Bhupalpally district court, which had earlier directed both leaders to appear in connection with the alleged subsidence of the barrage, a component of the Kaleshwaram project.

The controversy began when Nagavelli Rajalingamurthy, a resident of Bhupalpally, filed a petition alleging that KCR, Harish Rao and others proceeded with the Medigadda project without adequate testing, leading to the collapse of the barrage and misappropriation of public funds. In August 2024, the Principal Sessions Court in Bhupalpally issued notices to the accused based on this petition. Rajalingamurthy was subsequently murdered, raising questions about the maintainability of the petition.

The counsel for KCR and Harish Rao contended that the district court lacked jurisdiction over the case, and that following the death of the original petitioner, the criminal petition could not be sustained. They argued that the impleadment of legal heirs was applicable only in summons cases, not in criminal petitions.

The public prosecutor argued for the maintainability of the petition, and suggested that the legal heirs of the deceased petitioner should be impleaded to continue the proceedings.

After hearing the arguments, the court suspended the notices issued by the district court to KCR and Harish Rao, providing interim relief to the petitioners. The court also issued notices to the legal heirs of the deceased petitioner, seeking their response on whether they wished to continue with the case.

The court has reserved its final verdict.