HC extends interim protection for KCR, Harish Rao in Kaleshwaram case till Feb 25

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Monday extended interim protection for former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, former irrigation minister T. Harish Rao, and others from coercive action based on the Justice P.C. Ghose Commission’s report on the Kaleshwaram project. It is notable that the HC extends interim protection again in this ongoing legal process.

The extension comes as part of ongoing proceedings in response to batch petitions filed by KCR, Harish Rao, former Chief Secretary Shailendra Kumar Joshi, and senior IAS officer Smita Sabharwal, seeking to quash the commission’s findings. Once more, the HC extends interim measures in view of these petitions.

Next hearing set for Feb 25; court bars action in the interim

Senior advocate C. Aryaman Sundaram represented KCR and Harish Rao, while Advocate General B.S. Prasad appeared for the state. The government has filed a counter-affidavit, and petitioners have submitted rejoinders. Therefore, it is clear the HC extends interim protection as the case continues.

The High Court accepted the Advocate General’s request for time to file written submissions in response to the rejoinders. The court directed the state to file these by February 20 and scheduled the next hearing for February 25. It also clarified that no coercive action may be taken against the petitioners until that date, since the HC extends interim protection at each stage.

The case pertains to alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project, a major initiative undertaken during the previous BRS government.