High Court orders check on Pride India’s building

The Hyderabad High Court on Thursday appointed a committee headed by the registrar (judicial) of the High Court to check alleged illegal constructions on government land at Devatalagutta, Balapur.

A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Shameem Akhter was dealing with a PIL by Devatalagutta Parirakshana Samiti vice-president N. Ramreddy who said the encroachments were not being removed.

The bench said an HMDA official and the local tahsildar would be on the committee that would visit Devatalagutta on April 1.

The bench directed the Rachakonda police commissioner to provide security to the committee; the joint collector had reported that builders were attacking revenue officials,

The bench warned Pride India Builders Ltd, a real estate firm, of severe consequences if the committee faced any obstructions.

Mr P.S.P. Suresh Kumar, counsel for the petitioner, said Pride India was constructing villas by demolishing temples.

Mr Rama Rao, counsel for HMDA, said the construction was going on with the help of status quo orders of the High Court.

RESPITE FOR TECH MAHINDRA

The High Court granted respite to Tech Mahindra Limited by dismissing the plea of the Enforcement Directorate to permit it to make the company accused No. 1 in the Satyam Computers scam. A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice A Shankar Narayana ruling on an appeal by the TD challenging an order of a single judge who had dismissed its case on the ground that the scam was perpetrated by B. Ramalinga Raju and a few others of Satyam Company and that the new company cannot be held responsible.

HC NOTICE TO TS SPEAKER

Justice Challa Kodandaram issued notice to Speaker Madhusudhana Chary and secretary of the Legislative Assembly on a petition by TD leader A. Revanth Reddy challenging his suspension from the House. Counsel for Mr Reddy said there was no provision for the suspension of a member for obstructing the Governor’s speech. When the Governor was addressing the House, the Speaker had no power to take any action against the members.