Telangana HC verdict exposes political conspiracies of Congress, says Harish Rao

Hyderabad, April 22 (IANS) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and former Minister T. Harish Rao said on Wednesday that the Telangana High Court’s order, barring the state government from taking any action against him and BRS president and former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on the basis of the P.C. Ghose Commission report, has exposed the political conspiracies of the Congress party.

"Truth always prevails”, was how Harish Rao reacted to the High Court orders on their petitions challenging the report of the Ghose Commission, which probed the alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project constructed during the BRS.

“No matter how many conspiracies anyone hatches, it has once again been proven today that in the end, justice prevails in the courts, and truth resounds,” said Harish Rao, who is also the nephew of K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR).

A Bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin on Wednesday pronounced the orders on the batch of writ petitions filed separately by KCR, Harish Rao, retired IAS officer and former Chief Secretary S.K. Joshi and serving IAS officer Smitha Sabharwal challenging the report.

The High Court observed that the Ghose Commission did not follow the procedure under the Commission of Inquiry Act.

Harish Rao stated that the High Court has struck down the trial conducted while disregarding fundamental rights and principles of natural justice. “It has clearly ruled that the remarks made by the commission, which hurt personal prestige, are invalid, and no actions should be taken based on that report. With this, the political conspiracies of the Congress government have been exposed,” he said.

The BRS deputy leader in the Telangana Assembly remarked that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy's true colours - setting aside public issues to stage dramas - have been laid bare by the High Court judgment.

“Even now, we appeal to him to immediately cease baseless complaints and political smear campaigns, complete the repairs to the two piers right away, and safeguard the interests of Telangana's farmers. Whether anyone praises it or not, Kaleshwaram will forever remain Telangana's lifeline,” he added.

Said to be the world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project, the Kaleshwaram project was started by the then BRS government in May 2016. Its main component was inaugurated by the then CM KCR in 2019.

In March 2024, the Congress government constituted a commission headed by former Supreme Court judge Pinaki Chandra Ghose to probe the alleged irregularities in planning, design, construction, quality control, operation and maintenance of Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla Barrages of the Kaleshwaram project.

The commission submitted its report to the Telangana government on July 31, 2025.

The Commission held KCR directly and vicariously accountable for irregularities in planning, execution, completion, operation and maintenance of the Kaleshwaram project. It also indicted Harish Rao, then Chief Secretary Joshi and then Secretary to Chief Minister Smitha Sabharwal.