HC Question Land Allotment In Banjara Hills To Former MP’s Kin
Hyderabad, Dec 11 (Maxim News): The Telangana High Court on Wednesday heard a PIL challenging the regularisation of prime government land in Banjara Hills in favour of the son and daughter of former MP (Rajya Sabha) Dr K Keshava Rao. A division bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice Ghouse Meera Mohiuddin heard a PIL filed by Gadeela Raghuveer Reddy of Kondapaka, Siddipet district.
The petitioner questioned the actions of the previous BRS government in issuing and subsequently amending GO 59 (dated December 31, 2014) through GO 22 (dated March 1, 2023) and GO 56 (dated May 23, 2023), allowing the regularisation of encroachments on objectionable government lands, surplus lands and ULC lands on a payment basis.
Petitioner’s counsel S Reddy Yalagiri submitted that the amendments were misused to regularise 1,161 square yards in favour of K Venkateswar Rao, son of Kesava Rao, and 425 square yards in favour of Gadwal Vijayalaxmi, Mayor and daughter.
He contended that the land located in NBT Nagar, Road No. 12, Banjara Hills, a notified slum area with exceptionally high real estate value, was allotted at nominal rates of Rs 2,500 and Rs 350 per square yard, whereas the market value stood at approximately Rs 60,300 per square yard as of February 2024, translating to a value exceeding Rs 9 crore.
Mandatory Procedure Bypassed
The petitioner alleged that the beneficiaries bypassed the mandatory procedure prescribed in GO 59, which requires applicants to submit requests through Mee Seva and pay 25% of the land’s basic value via demand draft to the government. Instead, the counsel stated, both beneficiaries directly represented their cases to the then finance minister and chairman of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Land Regularisation, securing approval in violation of rules and causing substantial loss to the exchequer.
On 23 July 2024, the then Chief Justice’s Bench had issued notices to the Principal Secretaries of Revenue (Land Administration) and MA&UD departments, the CCLA, the Hyderabad District Collector, the Tahsildar of Shaikpet mandal, Venkateswara Rao, Mayor Vijaya Laxmi, seeking their responses.
Appearing for state, Additional Advocate-General Md Imran Khan acknowledged that the land parcels had indeed been regularised in favour of the former MP’s son and daughter. He submitted that the beneficiaries had already undergone extensive legal procedures owing to pending litigation over the properties and sought additional time to present a detailed argument.
During the hearing, CJ Singh queried Khan whether the government was uniformly extending the benefits under the regularisation scheme to all applicants or whether the concessions granted to the two beneficiaries were exceptions. The CJ observed that if the government intended to stand by its decision to regularise the land in favour of these individuals, it may need to consider rectifying the impugned GOs.
The state sought time to file its counter. The bench accordingly adjourned the case to January 7, 2026. (Maxim News)
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