Friday, February 29, 2008

HC asks L&T to give Rs 6 cr

Hyderabad, Feb. 28: The AP High Court on Thursday asked Larsen and Toubro Limited to deposit Rs 6 crore with the registrar general of the court. The company was asked to pay the amount to proceed with the hearing on its petition challenging the notice issued by the commercial tax department asking it to pay Rs 26 crore as tax for equipment purchased for a water supply project in Puttaparthy, on behalf of the Satya Sai Seva Samithi. However, L&T contended that it was a service oriented project which merited tax exemption.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Santosh Mohandev may become respondent

By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad, Feb27: Employees of the Cement Corporation of India,Adilabad unit asked the Andhra Pardesh High Court to made the Union minister for heavy industries, Mr Santosh Mohan Dev as a repondent in their petition.
Adilabad unit of the CCI Employees Union filed an implead petition in this regard in the court. They told the court that Centre had included the Bokajan unit of CCI in Silchar of Assam in rehabilitation scheme because it was in the constituency represented by the Union minister for heavy industries, Mr Santosh Mohan Dev.
The petitioner’s counsel, Mr S. Ramachandra Rao, submitted that the unit was found viable according to a report of the Development Consultancy Limited.He urged the court to implead the minister as a respondent. Mr Ramachandra Rao told the court that the Adilabad unit was a perfect case to be included in the rehabilitation package as recommended by the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR). It may be mentioned that the Cement Corporation of India had decided in 2007 to close seven of its units including the one at Adilabad.
However the High Court on Wednesday asked the Centre not to declare final closure of Adilabad Cement Factory until further orders. The court said the government can continue with the process of closing down the unit, which belongs to the Cement Corporation of India. Justice R. Subhash Reddy while dealing with a petition filed by Adilabad unit of the CCI Employees Union modified its April 20, 2007, order of maintaining status quo.

Dacoit’s plea turns against him in court

By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad, Feb. 27: A habeas corpus petition filed by member of a notorious dacoit gang has boomeranged on him. Nakka Prasad, a member of the Telaga Pamula gang in West Godavari district, had in his petition stated that his wife had been illegally detained by the police on February 12. On the order of the AP High Court, the police launched a frantic search for the woman — only to discover that she had gone into hiding fearing interrogation in cases involving her husband.
Seized of the facts of the case, a HC bench comprising Justice B. Prakash Rao and Justice L. Narasimha Reddy on Wednesday slapped a notice on Prasad asking him to show cause why action should not be taken against him. The assistant government pleader, Ms Mohana Reddy, informed the court that the police had determined that Prasad had concocted the entire story.
She said he made up the story to safeguard his wife, who is also a suspect in some cases. Prasad’s wife returned home on February 25 after community elders intervened in the case, Ms Reddy said. She told the court that Prasad had earlier been imprisoned for theft and that two non-bailable warrants are pending against him. The bench pulled up the petitioner, saying, “Keeping the facts in the dark and trying to mislead the courts may one day result in the courts doubting the authenticity of petitioner in a genuine case.”

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

VJIL opposes order on land

Hyderabad,Feb.27:The AP High Court on Tuesday decided to take up for final hearing a petition filed by the VJIL Consulting Limited challenging the orders of the government asking it to surrender land. VJIL informed the court that the AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation had allotted it five acres in 2003 at a cost of Rs 29 lakhs per acre at Manikonda village in Ranga Reddy district. The government issued orders on October 23, 2006, to surrender the land within 15 days. The HC had earlier stayed the execution of the order.

Babu submits PIL against ACB action

Hyderabad, Feb. 26: The senior bureaucrat, Mr Shafiquzzaman, has filed a writ petition in the AP High Court seeking the list of IAS officers against whom the Anti-Corruption Bureau had sought action. Mr Shafiquzzaman, who is the managing director of the AP Warehousing Corporation, also sought to know names of IAS officers against whom the government dropped action despite the ACB recommendation.
He told the HC that he submitted an application on April 26, 2007, to the PIO of the general administration department requesting the names. However, the GAD did not furnish the information. Following this, Mr Shaiquzzaman appealed to the information commissioner, and officials agreed to submit the information during the hearing on September 29, 2007. But the promise was not kept. He urged the court to direct the commissioner to take action against the concerned officials. The petition is expected to come up for hearing on Wednesday

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

A man offered kidney to save his friend

By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad, Feb.25: Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday directed that the appellate authority on the Human Organs Transplantation Act reconsider the case of a patient, who wants to receive a kidney from his friend.
Justice CV Nagarjuna Reddy, while disposing of a writ petition filed by V Sivalingam of Bandapalli village in Chittoor district seeking a direction to thegovernment to allow him to accept a kidney for transplant from his friendChaitanya, observed that the appellate authority shall examine Ms Ramadevi,wife of the donor, and record their statement and dispose of appeal afresh within a period of three weeks.
The judge said the appellate authority rejected the request of the petitioner on the ground that Ms Ramadevi had expressed her unwillingness as she had two very young children and no one excepting her husband to support her and she did not want any risk to her husband through kidney donation. The donor's father died due to kidney failure and there was a possibility of the donor suffering with the same problem after the donation.The judge further observed that according the government pleader, the wife of the donor changed her stand before the court, but the record did not showthat the appellate authority recorded her statement."In view of the stand taken by the wife of the donor before the court,which is in direct conflict with the finding given by the appellate authority, Ideem it appropriate to remit the matter for fresh consideration by the appellate authority" the judge added. Earlier in the day while beginning the hearing the judge asked B Satayanarayana, counsel for the petitioner, the whereabouts of the donor and his wife and the recipient.
The counsel replied that they were on the court premises and they were afraid of the media and thus they did not dare to enter into the court hall. The judge questioned whether media was preventing them to enter into the court? Sataynarayana answered in the negative, saying that they were not prevented.But his clients did not want their issue to be highlighted in the Press.
"If such is the case you are wasting the precious time of the court. Instruct your clients to be present in the court within 10 minutes, otherwise the court cannot hear your case," the judge said.
Later, the donor and his wife and the recipient appeared before the judge.The judge asked the donor, "is the friendship between you so strong that youhave readily accepted to donate your kidney to save your friend, risking yourlife?" He also questioned that for how long they had been friends?Chaitanya replied that they had been friends for the past 10 years."Sivalingam use to visit my hotel in Chittoor when he was with MLA RChenga Reddy as his gunman," he added."How many times do you interact with your friend in a day," the judge asked.He said seven to eight times in a day.Later, the judge enquired Ramadevi whether she expressed her unwillingness before the appellate authority for her husband donating kidney to his friend.In reply she stated that she never opposed it. She further said she supported her husband saying that the petitioner had a long-standing friendship withherhusband and that out of affection for him, her husband agreed for donation.However, Chaitanya and his wife and the petitioner refused to interact withmedia saying they do not want to make it an issue. They severely objectedwhen lensmen tried to take their photographs.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

CHRI wants to implead in Encounter case

By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad,Feb. 22: First time in the country the AP High Court has taken up adjudication a matter involving disclosure of names of police personnel participated in encounter killings.A five member bench of the High court will commence hearing onthe issue from 3. Several experts in the field of civil and humanrights are expected to implead in the hearings.A non governmental organisation Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) has filed an affidavit with a plea to implead as one of the respondent in the issue.The CHRI claimed that it has developed a considerable expertise and technical knowledge of comparative law and practise in area of policereforms. Its contribution has been acknowledged by the governmentand the Supreme Court.It informed the court that in course of its work, it came across scores ofcases of fake encounters, police excesses which indicate a discernablepattern of behaviour routed in lack of accountability showing disregard for the statutory procedures.It may be mentioned that the High court has constituted a five member bench after APCLC filed a petition seeking the disclosure of names ofthe police personnel who have participated in an encounter incident inPrakasam district in 2006. Borra Chinnaiah alias Madhav, CPI (Maoist)state secretary and seven others were killed in the encounter.

Police to keep track of foreign students

Hyderabad, Feb. 22: Police have stepped up surveillance on foreign students in the city, particularly Nigerians as some of them have been involved in fake currency, visas and passports crimes. Few months ago, the Central Crime Station (CCS) came across a case where Nigerian youth cheated a person as they gave him blank papers while they promised him counterfeit US dollars.
In October last year, the Chadarghat police arrested two Nigerians in an online cheating case in which they fraudulently took Rs 38 lakh from their victims. Last year, an international gang of Nigerians involved in credit card frauds was busted by the police. Task Force sleuths have also come across counterfeit currency cases involving Nigerians.
The Special Branch is keeping an eye on the Nigerians as some of them regularly frequently change their residence but do not update that information with the police, a senior official said. Some of the Nigerians who are overstaying in the city had gone "missing", he added.
Nigerians students who come to the city are mostly put up in areas like Mehdipatnam, Tolichowki, Sainikpuri, Mahindra Hills and Padmaraonagar. In light of the recent bomb blasts and terror threat looming large over the city, police is not willing to take any chances and are maintaining vigil over all foreign nationals.
More than 1,300 foreign students are registered in the Osmania University while another 350 are studying in Nizam College. They are of Nigeria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Palestine, Uganda and Iran nationals.

Court acts on letter on ‘slain’ husband

Hyderabad, Feb. 22: The AP High Court decided to convert into a writ, a complaint letter written by a woman who alleged that her in-laws had killed her husband. Ms R. Aruna wrote to the Chief Justice stating that she married one Rajesh Kumar on June 28, 2007. Her parents paid Rs 10 lakh worth gold jewellery and household articles as dowry. After a week, her father-in-law threatened her husband and he went missing the next day.
Her in-laws started harassing her for dowry and did not bother about her husband, she alleged. She said that the Saroornagar police had registered a case of dowry harassment on her complaint in January.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Man, kidney donor to appear in Court

Hyderabad, Feb. 21: The AP High Court on Thursday asked a man who had sought permission to receive a kidney from his friend, and the prospective donor to appear before the court on Monday. Justice C.V. Nagarjuna Reddy was dealing with a petition filed by Mr V. Sivalingam of Bandapalli in Chittoor district who had sought permission to accept a kidney for transplant from his friend, Mr Chaitanya. When the judge enquired about the patient and his friend, the petitioner’s counsel said they were not present in the court. The Human Organs Transplantation Act restricts donation of organs from people who are not related. In such cases, prior approval of the authorisation committee has to be obtained: The committee had rejected his plea.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Cop asked about detained woman

By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad, Feb. 20: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday directed the Malkajgiri assistant commissioner of police to file a report on the alleged illegal detention of a woman and her seven-month-old child. A division bench comprising Justice A Gopal Reddy and Justice Nooty Rammohan Rao asked the ACP to submit the report before March 5, while dealing with a habeas corpus petition filed by T. Geetha, wife of Naveen of Malkajgiri,
The court also directed that the woman and the child be kept at the Women and Child welfare rescue home in Ameerpet. The petitioner alleged that the Malkajgiri police took away her husband from the Ranga Reddy district court premises on January 26 and kept him in illegal custody. She also filed an additional affidavit alleging that the police also kept her in custody along with her child for eight days.
Counsel for the petitioner V. Raghunath told the court that woman has been deprived of the legal remedy even after she approached the lower court and the Human Rights Commission.
Assistant government pleader Mohana Reddy denied the allegation and said that the petitioner’s husband is a dossier criminal with non bailable warrants were pending against him. She further told the court he had committed several house-breakings in the Malkajgiri area and police suspects that the stolen property has been kept with Geetha.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Rama, too much drama

By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad, Feb.18: Lord Rama may have waged a war against Ravana and returned triumphant but a sense of Ghor Kalyuga seems to have caught Bhadradri Rama in a 50-year-old legal quagmire. The battle is over the ownership of 917 acres that belong to Sri Seetharamachandra Swamyvari Devasthanam in Bhadrachalam, popularly known as “Bhadradri Rama”.
The land was gifted to Lord Rama by Purushottamdas, as a registered gift deed on October 12, 1870. According to the petitioners’, the temple fell under the Nizam’s administration. Temple authorities decided to sell the permanent leasehold rights of the land. Subedar Saheb (Governor) of Warangal conducted the public sale on August 24, 1912. Abdul Hussain purchased the rights. His wife Rasheeda Fatima Begum sold the land to Majeti Ramachandraiah and Repaka Venkat Ratnam after Hussain’s death.
The legal battle between local ryots and the ‘keepers’ of Lord Rama’s property began after Independence. The petitioners assert that Lord Rama was never the owner. The temple authorities had forced their predecessors to pay Rs 3 cess per acre in 1961. The legal representatives of ‘Lord Rama’ produced evidence in support of this claim. Petitioners then filed claims before the revenue authorities and appealed before the High Court.
The High Court dismissed their plea in 1980 and declared that Lord Rama is the absolute owner of the land. A patwari, produced the documents to prove the land was in the name Sri Seetharamachandra Swamyvaru. Ch Satish Kumar, standing counsel for the endowments, Telangana region, said vested interests were dragging on the litigation and a dozen appeals have been pending in the high court

Plea on land for Nims varsity set aside

By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad, Feb. 19: The stage is cleared for the setting up of the campus of the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (Nims) University on the city outskirts. The AP High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition against acquisition of land for the university. Justice C.V. Nagarjuna Reddy dismissed a petition filed by Mr D. Pochaiah and 15 others of Rangapur village in Nalgonda district challenging the notification of the district collector for acquiring 160 acres of land for the university.
The government had proposed to set up the Nims University in Rangapur near Bibinagar and had initiated the land acquisition process. The petitioners objected to the process and approached the High Court. Earlier, the court passed an interim order asking the government to maintain status quo. The petitioner contended that their families were in possession of the land for more than 50 years. They alleged that the revenue authorities did not serve notice on them. They came to know about the acquisition after some officials began a survey of the site. They approached the collector and the local MRO and showed them a piece of alternative land adjoining the proposed site, they said.
The government argued that there was no alternative land in the village. The one shown by the petitioners was not fit for construction. The court was informed that notices were served on land-owners. Some persons had even attended the award enquiry and sought Rs 1,200 per square yard.

Nagam gets six months in jail

Hyderabad, Feb. 19: A court on Tuesday sentenced the TD deputy floor leader and former minister, Mr N. Janardhan Reddy, to six months’ imprisonment in a defamation case filed by the minister for rural development, Mr G. Chinna Reddy. The First Class Munsif Magistrate’s Court of Mahbubnagar district also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on Mr Janardhan Reddy. However, the court released him on bail on submission of two sureties of Rs 5,000 each. Mr Janardhan Reddy said he would file an appeal in the AP High Court.
Mr Chinna Reddy filed a criminal defamation suit against Mr Janardhan Reddy in 2002 for making defamatory remarks against him. He alleged in his petition that Mr Janardhan Reddy abused him during a zilla parishad general body meeting in Mahbubnagar in February 2002. Mr Janardhan Reddy had alleged that Mr Chinna Reddy had obtained a bogus doctorate. The TD leader also dubbed him a cheat and racketeer.Mr Chinna Reddy informed the court that he obtained a doctorate from a Malaysian university in biometrics and plant breeding. He submitted his original certificate to the court as an exhibit. The court examined three persons including the MLA, Mr J. Krishna Rao, during the trial.
“The remarks of Mr Janardhan Reddy are defamatory in nature and they were widely publicised in the media. My image and prestige was tarnished,” Mr Chinna Reddy claimed. Mr Janardhan Reddy, who was present in the court during the pronouncement of the judgement, told mediapersons that he would honour the verdict. Dr Chinna Reddy described the verdict as a “victory of truth”. “The court has declared that my degree is genuine and I am happy about it,” he said. The minister advised the TDP leader to desist from making wild allegations against others.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

‘Abduction’ case is false, says state

Hyderabad,Feb.18: A habeas corpus petition filed in the AP High Court by the father of a software engineer took an interesting turn on Monday when the government stated that the petitioner was aware of the whereabouts of his son. Mr B. Veeranarayana of Hanmakonda of Warangal district, had filed a petition alleging that Mr Venkatsubbaiah and Mr Bhaskar Rao of Khammam had abducted his son Srikanth. He alleged that the police did not register a case against them.A division bench of Justice A. Gopal Reddy and Justice Nooty Rammohan Rao asked the government pleader, Ms Mohana Reddy, about the case. She submitted that the petitioner did not file any complaint with the police. In accordance with the earlier instructions of the court, the police made preliminary inquiry and found that the petitioner, Mr Veeranarayana, himself had taken away the boy. She said Srikanth had fallen in love with and married the daughter of Mr Venkatsubbaiah in November 2007 and the couple was working in a software company. The bench asked the girl’s parents to file an affidavit regarding their position.

Andhra Jyothy challenges hiring of prosecutor

Hyderabad,Feb.18: Amoda Publications Pvt. Ltd owned by Mr V. Radhakrishna on Monday filed a writ petition in the AP High Court challenging the appointment of a special public prosecutor to file complaint and conduct prosecution on behalf of the government adviser, Dr K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao.
The government had appointed Mr S. Satyanarayan Prasad as special public prosecutor to prosecute Mr Radhakrishna, whose Telugu newspaper had allegedly published "defamatory" articles against Dr Rao. Mr Prasad filed a complaint on behalf of Dr Rao against the petitioner.

Man asks High Court nod to take friend’s kidney

Hyderabad, Feb. 15: A man on Monday filed a writ petition in the AP High Court seeking a direction to the government to allow him to accept a kidney for transplant from a donor. Mr V. Sivalingam of Bandapalli village in Chittoor district said his kidneys were diseased and doctors had advised immediate transplantation.He told the court that his friend, Chaitanya, had voluntarily offered his kidney for transplant. Doctors had declared that Chaianya could be a donor. The Human Organs Transplantation Act bars donation of organs from people who are not related. In such cases prior approval of the authorisation committee has to be obtained. The petitioner informed the court that the authorisation committee had rejected his plea. He said even the government had negated his appeal. He asked the court to direct the government to allow him to the kidney donation from Chaitanya.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

AP High Court dimissed Bellary Iron Ores plea

The AP High Court dismissed an appeal filed by Bellary Iron Ores Private Limited company challenging the orders of a single judge who had ordered status quo at the boundary between the company and Obulapuram Mining Company Pvt Ltd (OMC) in Anantapur district.
Appearing for the petitioner, the Supreme court advocate and former minister, Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad, alleged that OMC personnel were forcibly transporting ore from the mines of Bellary Iron Ores. He urged the court to restrain Obulapuram Mining Company Pvt Ltd. Chief Justice A R Dave and Justice Gopal Krishna Tamada observed that there was a writ pending before the single judge with similar prayer. The matter is coming for hearing on Friday and it would not be proper to allow an appeal

Yuvaratna Balakrishna knocked the court door

Hyderabad, Feb. 12: The film actor N. Balakrishna on Tuesday filed a writ petition in the High Court seeking a direction to police to withdraw their forces from the Basavarama Tarakam Memorial Medical Trust at Road No 13, Banjara Hills, here. He told the court that after the death of his father N.T. Rama Rao, a writ petition was filed by Ms Lakshmi Parvati restraining him (Balakrishna) and his brothers N. Harikrishna, N, Saikrishna and N. Ramakrishna from entering the Trust premises.
Ms Parvati later filed a miscellaneous petition and the court passed interim orders to deploy police to guard the premises. CRPF personnel continue to be posted at the place. Ms Parvati’s petition was dismissed by the court on September 9, 2005, he said. Even after that, the police did not allow them to enter the Trust premises, said Balakrishna. He was the the managing trustee, Balakrishna said.

Eenadu Ramoji has to suurender to police

The AP High Court granted conditional anticipatory bail to the Eenadu and Margadarsi group chairman, Mr Ch Ramoji Rao, and his son, Mr Ch Kiron, in a cheating case.
Justice Swaroop Reddy while admitting a petition filed by Mr Ramoji Rao seeking anticipatory bail directed him to surrender before the Three Town police of Visakhapatnam within ten days. The court asked the petitioner to furnish two sureties Rs 10,000 each for Mr Ramoji Rao and his son to obtain bail from the police.Mr Padmanbha Reddy, senior counsel for the petitioner, sought police protection for Mr Ramoji Rao and Mr Kiron at the time of their surrender. Justice Swaroop Reddy turned down the plea. The police had registered a case against Mr Ramoji Rao, Mr Kiron and Ushodaya Publications owned by the Ramoji Rao family following the direction by the chief metropolitan magistrate court.

AP High Court reserved orders on Vizag fishing village

The AP High Court reserved its orders on a petition filed by the Dibbapalem Matsykarula Mahila Sankshema Sangham seeking a direction to declare the GOs with regard to rehabilitation and resettlement of Dibbapalem village near Gangavaram port as illegal. While hearing final arguments, a division bench comprising Chief Justice A.R. Dave and Justice Gopala Krishna Tamada asked the government pleader for roads and buildings, Mr G. Venkateswar Rao to inform the court on implementation of promises made by the state government to displaced fishermen.

AP High Court tells police to find student

Hyderabad, Feb. 11: A division bench comprising Justice A. Gopal Reddy and Justice Nooty Ram Mohan Rao on Monday directed the Nalgonda police to produce a missing 17-year-old B. Pharmacy student before the court by next Monday. The girl’s father, Mr S. Yadagiri, had alleged that she had been kidnapped by one Sudheer and his associates.
The bench while dealing with a habeas corpus petition filed by Mr Yadagiri said that if the police failed to produce the girl it would summon the district police superintendent. Mr Yadagiri submitted that his daughter was kidnapped on December 31 last year from Suryapet bus stand. The police failed to trace the girl till date.
The Suryapet police station house officer appe-ared before the court along with the case file. After verifying the file the court expressed its dissatisfaction. "There is nothing new. It’s a routine investigation. It seems you did not have any concern on safety of the girl."

Thursday, February 7, 2008

AP High Court granted bail to 10 Muslim Youth

Hyderabad,Feb.5: Andhra Pradesh High Court has granted conditional bail to10 Muslim youths, who were arrested after the Mecca Masjid bomb blast oncharges of waging a war against the State and "Jihadi" activities.Justice P Swaroop Reddy granted bail to Arshed Khan, MalkondiahMohammed Naseeruddin alias Naser, Mohammed Abdul Raheem, Syed AbdulKhader alias Imran, Abdul Kareem alias Anwar, Shaik Mohammed Fareed aliasPasha, Gulam Aslam Siddiqui, Mohammed Abdul Wajid, Abdul Wassay,Mohammed Shakeel alias Moulana.The court directed that the accused appear before the Gopalpuram stationhouseofficer twice a week.The accused informed the court that they were arrested by Gopalpuram policeon the complaint of K Ramachander, inspector of police, task force, that theywere waging a war against the State and that they were allegedly involved inJihadi activities.They alleged that they were illegally detained and brutally tortured by thepolice for several days. The accused informed the court that they weresent toCherlapally central jail five months ago.Senior counsel Balreddy argued on behalf of the petitioners and submitted tothe court that the police had completed the investigation and filedchargesheets.He said "if they were released on bail, there is no apprehension of evidencebeing tampered with".

High Court imposed costs on Accountant-general

Hyderabad, Feb. 6: The AP High Court on Wednesday imposed Rs 5,000 towards costs on the accountant-general for withholding the provident fund of a retired judicial officer. A division bench comprising Justice G. Raghuram and Justice R. Subhash Reddy, allowed a writ petition filed by Mr Syed Abdullah, retired principal session judge. The bench directed that the government and the accountant-general pay allowances and other benefits due to the officer within two months.
Earlier, the in-charge chief secretary, Mr A. Ragho-thama Rao, the accountant-general, Mr Praveen Mehta the finance secretary, Ms Vasudha Mishra, and the law secretary, Mr Madan Mohan Reddy appeared before the bench and expressed regret. Mr Pandu Ranga Reddy, counsel for the general administration department, said that the government had paid Rs 6.79 lakh to the petitioner towards PF with penal interest on Tuesday.The government issued a GO on Tuesday releasing PF to retired judicial officers and staff in accordance with the directions of Supreme Court, he said

High Court concerned over missing girls

Hyderabad,Feb 6: The AP High Court on Wednesday expressed its concern over minor girls going missing in the state. A division bench comprising Justice A. Gopal Reddy and Justice Nooty Ram Mohan Rao was dealing with a habeas corpus petition filed by Mr S, Yadagiri of Nalgonda district. The petitioner alleged that his 17-year-old daughter was kidnapped by K. Sudheer and others on December 31 from Suryapet. Mr Yadagiri alleged that Sudheer, his mother Vijaya and his followers Naresh, Siddu, Aswin had kidnapped the girl. Sudheer told him over phone that the girl was in Hyderabad. On Sudhir’s directions he reached the city on January 2 and stayed for three days but Sudhir did not turn up. Mr Yadagiri lodged a complaint with the Suryapet police on January 6. The assistant government pleader, Ms Mohana Reddy, said that police had questioned suspects on January 7 and let them off. She said inquires revealed that Vijaya had tried to admit the girl in a city hostel on January 9. Police is verifying call records of the suspects, she said.
The bench observed that the incidents of missing of minor girls were increasing. Many of these girls were found during police raids on traffickers in other parts of the country. The bench was dissatisfied with the investigation and directed the police to submit the case diary on February 11.

Foreign-trained docs: HC grills MCI

The AP High Court asked the Medical Council of India to take an appropriate decision within two weeks on issuing of permanent registration certificates to candidates who obtained their medical degrees from foreign countries. A division bench comprising Justice G. Raghuram and Justice R. Subhash Reddy asked how could the MCI reject candidates when they had attended the MCI screening test. The court suggested that the MCI standing counsel take an administrative decision. Otherwise the court will take up legal scrutiny.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

God's land tangle

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, Feb.5: A division bench comprising Chief Justice AR Daveand Justice Gopal Krishna Tamada on Tuesday did not agree to the pleato club various writ petitions and miscellaneous petitions filed infavour of and against acquiring temple lands for public purpose.

While hearing arguments on petitions filed by the State governmentasking the court to vacate stay orders on acquiring endowment lands,the bench refused the prayer of S Ramachandra Rao, senior counsel forthe petitioner, to club all the petition.

He said "if the government is allowed to acquire temple lands for theirrigation purpose, there is every possibility of abuse of power in theguise of irrigation projects".The bench observed that it would confine to hearing arguments onpetitions pertaining to irrigation projects and it would hear otherpetitions after two weeks.

Advocate-General CV Mohan Reddy submitted to the court that stayorders had stalled the construction of irrigation projects includingThotapalli barrage, Pulichintala, Polavaram, Handri-Neeva,Vamsadhara, Kandaleru reservoir, Jawahar Nettampadu, Koilsagar,Mahatma Gandhi lift irrigation schemes, and summer storage tanks inEast Godavari and Prakasam districts.He told the court that about 1800 acres of temple lands had to beacquired for the construction of irrigation projects.

He said thegovernment deposited Rs 49 crore towards compensation for templelands and the amount had been lying unutilised for several months.Justice Dave asked "what's wrong if the government is allowed toacquire lands specifically for irrigation purpose in the larger publicinterest".The bench reserved its orders.

Teacher, children safe in London

Hyderabad city police told a division bench of the AP High Court that a St George’s Grammar School teacher, Ms Siddiqua Begum, and her three minor children, who went missing in the city in June 2007, were in London.
Mr Mohammed Nooruddin Qureshi, a private employee working in UAE, had stated in his petition that his wife, Ms Siddiqua Begum, had left home on June 6, 2007, with their three children, Saher Qureshi, 13, Sanobar Farheen, 12, and Rahman Danish and never returned.

‘Maoist leader not ill-treated’

Andhra Pradesh police told the High Court that Maoist leader Malla Rajireddy, who was arrested in Kerala and brought to the state, was not ill-treated. The assistant government pleader told a division bench that soon after his arrest in Kerala, the local magistrate had asked Rajireddy how he was treated. Rajireddy had replied that he was not ill-treated. Rajireddy, a central committee member of the Maoists, was brought to Manthani on a transit remand. Mr B. Raghunath alleged that police had violated Sections 78 and 79 of the CrPC, he said.
The bench asked Mr Raghunath whether he had mentioned the violation of the CrPC. Mr Raghunath replied that he would visit Rajireddy in jail and submit an additional affidavit.

Techie gal in Blackmailer's net

The High Court on Monday heard the heartrending tale of a 22-year-old software engineer who narrated how she was blackmailed and married by a self-styled businessman. The woman appeared before a division bench comprising Justice A. Gopal Reddy and Justice Nooty Ram Mohan Rao following a habeas corpus petition filed by her husband, Mr G. Lakshmaiah Chowdary of Ashoknagar.
She alleged that Mr Chowdary had married her forcibly by threatening that he would put up some photographs on the Internet and put up posters for public display. She alleged that he took away her passport, education certificates, gold ornaments and a mobile phone after the forced marriage.
She also alleged that she was confined to a house but she managed to escape and was staying with her parents. She had lodged a complaint with the Gandhinagar police against her husband and in-laws. A magistrate had recorded her statement under Section 164 CrPC.
The judges expressed their dismay over the callousness of the police in delaying the arrest of the accused. The woman said Mr Chowdary was her neighbour in Guntur and their families were friends. She joined an engineering college at Chennai. Mr Chowdary and some of his friends visited her and they went to the beach.
She alleged that Mr Chowdary took her pictures while she was bathing. She alleged that Mr Chowdary asked for Rs 1 lakh. But she said she paid Rs 90,000 through a bank. He invited her to the city on the pretext of returning her photographs. When she arrived, he confined her to a room and forcibly married her on March 3, 2007, the woman alleged. The bench asked the assistant government pleader, Ms Mohana Reddy, why the accused was not arrested. She stated that he had obtained anticipatory bail. The court asked why the police had not submitted the statement of the victim before the court when the accused had applied for the bail. The court observed that it would recall his bail. The hearing was posted for next week.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Unitech townships faces legal hurdles in Andhra

Unitech, one of India’s largest real estate developer, is facing legal hurdles making an aggressive entry into the booming realty market Andhra Pradesh. It has proposed to develop two major townships in Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad.
Recently the company won a tender to develop a township in 1750 acres at Visakhapatnam. Former Minister and Telugu Desam leader Thammineni Seetharm filed a public interest litigation in the High Court seeking a direction to conduct probe on allotment of land to proposed Integrated Vizag Knowledge City at Kapula Uppada village in Visakhpatnam district and Integrated Airport Township in Hyderabad.
The petitioner submitted the court that the Andhra Pradesh IndustrialInfrastructure Corporation has proposed to develop the knowledge City and Airport Township at Vizag and Hyderabad.He told the court that the Knowledge City was proposed to construct 1750 acres and Airport Township in 350 acres at Nadergul village of Saroornagar mandal.
The petitioner alleged that the process adopted by the APIIC would hamper public interest. He also alleged that "in the guise of inviting bids by the APIIC and its Executive director were trying to knock away valuable public property through a 'real estate' transaction and cause financial loss to the exchequer.
Unitech also bagged a tender to develop a 350-acre township in Hyderabad. Pratap Karan, a retired government employee, and 15 others filed a writ petition in the court saying that they are the owners of the 373.22 acres of land in Nadergul village of Saroornagar mandal of Ranga Reddy district. The petitioners challeneged the notification of the AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation calling tenders for allotting 373 acres of land to private parties for setting up a township.
The petitioner submitted to the court that the land belonged to late Raja Shivraj Dharmavat Bahadur. After his demise succession was granted to Dhiraj Karan, Dharm Karan, and Mahaboob Karan in 1917. The land is adjacent to the Hardware Park. Unitech, one of India’s largest real estate developers, reportedly entered into an agreement with the state government to develop an integrated airport township on the land.
The petitioner said an appeal was pending in the High Court over the title of the land. In spite, the government issued a notification, inviting bids to sell out the land. The petitioner alleged that the state is trying to dispossess them.

Friday, February 1, 2008

Court summoned Andhra C S

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday directed the Chief Secretary, the Accountant-General, and the Principal Secretary (Finance) to appear before it on February 6 to explain why they withheld the general provident fund of a retired official.A division bench comprising Justice G. Raghuram and Justice R. Subhash Reddy gave this order while dealing with a petition filed by Syed Abdullah, a retired judicial officer. The bench found fault with the officials for withholding the GPF and said it amounted to abuse of power. "Why have the officials not released the amount even after directions of the Supreme Court?" the bench asked. "It seems that the Secretariat has been turned into an amusement park by officials," the bench said.

Police asked not to arrest Ramoji Rao

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday asked the Visakhapatnam police not to arrest media baron Ramoji Rao till February 6. Justice Somayajulu issued this direction while dealing with an anticipatory bail petition filed by Mr Ramoji Rao on a cheating case registered against him by the Visakhapatnam police. The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court had earlier ordered that a case be registered against the media baron on the basis of a petition filed by Mr Kumara Krishna Verma alleging that Mr Ramoji Rao and and his son Ch Kiron occupied his land at Nakkavaniplaem in Visakhapatnam.

AAI says won’t return 9 acres

The Airports Authority of India has filed a petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court challenging the order of the Serilingampally mandal revenue officer asking it to surrender nine acres of land in Kancha Gachibowli village. According to the petitioner, the Hyderabad airport director, Mr R.K. Singla, the land was acquired to run a Radio Navigational Aid facility which was commissioned in 1971.
An area of 305 sq metres around the facility was kept free for technical reasons, he added. However, the mandal revenue officer passed orders on January 9 terming the land unutilised and asked the mandal revenue inspector to recover it, said the petitioner. The airport director alleged that revenue officials broke the lock of the compound wall and defaced the signboard of the AAI.