Lite byte: Kaleswaram under ED scanner, Ghose report and ACB cases now fuel wider probe
Speculation is swirling in bureaucratic and political circles over the Enforcement Directorate (ED) preparing to probe the alleged irregularities in the Kaleswaram project. This comes even as the Justice PC Ghose Commission prepares to submit its long-awaited inquiry report. Adding to the anxiety, senior engineers and IAS officers are increasingly worried about the ED stepping into the disproportionate assets cases involving the former ENC and other engineers, which are already under investigation by the ACB. With the ED likely to look into the FIRs and the commission's findings, many are bracing for summons. Both politicians and babus are said to be on edge.
Calendar clash amid family feud
BRS MLC K Kavitha recently launched a new initiative in Kompally titled 'Leader', a training programme aimed at mentoring young Jagruthi activists. On the very same day, the BRS leadership, led by her brother and party working president KT Rama Rao, held a meeting in Uppal to reactivate the party's student wing, BRSV.
BRS insiders see it as more than just a calendar clash. They say it's not merely a scheduling coincidence but a sign of strategic manoeuvring among key members of the party's first family.
Taking matters to the sixth floor
A district in-charge minister recently met officials to review the progress of various works in the region. Nothing unusual about that, except for the venue. Typically, in-charge ministers hold such meetings at the respective district headquarters. Sometimes, they use their own chambers at the Secretariat. But choosing the CMO conference hall on the sixth floor of the Secretariat? That's not something officials see every day. Some called it 'unprecedented', others 'unconventional', but either way, the minister's move might have set a new precedent.
Inputs: Ireddy Srinivas Reddy, Manda Ravinder Reddy
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
K Kavitha's 72-Hour Fast Ends On Day 1 After High Court Order
Hyderabad: K Kavitha - MLC of Bharat Rashtra Samithi and president of Telangana Jagruti -- ended her proposed 72-hour hunger strike to demand 42 per cent quota for backward classes, on Day One following court orders. Ms Kavitha has demanded a separate 10 per cent reservation for Muslims, arguing that would make 42 per cent reservation for Backward Classes easier. The protest, organised under the banner of her cultural organization Telangana Jagruthi, was only permitted by police from 10 am to 4 pm, leading her to end the fast prematurely. Ms Kavitha, who had already filed a writ petition in the Telangana High Court, had stated her intention to pursue the matter legally to secure permission for a full 72-hour protest. But the High Court, in a hearing, declined to issue an interim order directing the police to grant permission for the full duration of the fast. Justice K Lakshman did suspend one of the police-imposed conditions, which had restrained Ms Kavitha from posting content about the hunger strike on social media. No major rift, only little disturbance, have already acknowledged it, hope & believe some day high command will address it & #AllWillBeWell, says @RaoKavitha in #exclusive chat even as the #TelanganaJagruti president sat on dharna adorned in green-white instead of @BRSparty pink — Uma Sudhir (@umasudhir) August 4, 2025 The court has directed the police to file their counters by next week, and Ms Kavitha's legal team is expected to continue its efforts to secure permission for a extended protest in the future. In addition to her demands for reservation, Ms Kavitha also used the platform to address internal rifts within the BRS, accusing a "big leader" in her party of instigating derogatory remarks against her. While she did not name anyone, her comments were widely seen as a criticism of her brother and BRS working president, KT Rama Rao. When NDTV asked about the rift in the family, she dismissed it saying there was no rift, only a minor disturbance. Despite the internal conflict, Ms Kavitha maintained an optimistic tone, saying "hope the high command will sort it out one day and all will be well."
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
"This Is The New Trend": Top Court On "Affluent Persons" Approaching It Directly
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday censured the practice of affluent persons coming to it directly seeking reliefs in criminal cases as it asked former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and his son to go to the high court in cases probed by central investigating agencies. The matters relate to the alleged liquor scam in Chhattisgarh and other cases. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi asked the father and son duo why should the top court go into their pleas against FIR, arrest and remand and Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) provisions. The top court asked why did the petitioners not move the high court, which too were constitutional courts and could adjudicate the issue. "This is the problem we are facing. Why can't the high court decide the issue otherwise what is the use of having those courts? This is the new trend, when an affluent person approaches the Supreme Court, we start changing our directions. If this keeps on happening, then ordinary persons and their ordinary lawyers will not have a space in the Supreme Court," the bench said. Bhupesh Baghel and Chitanya Baghel in separate pleas moved the top court challenging coercive action by probe agencies and provisions of the PMLA. Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek M Singhvi, appearing for the petitioners, said "this phenomenon of arrest" was happening across the country and investigating agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate was filing piecemeal chargesheets and implicating anybody and arresting everybody. "This cannot go on. People are not named in the FIR or initial chargesheets but suddenly their names crop up in supplementary chargesheet and the person is arrested," Sibal, representing the former chief minister, said. Singhvi, appearing for Baghel's son, said his client was not named in two-three chargesheets but his house was raided all of a sudden in March and he was subsequently arrested after his name featured in one of the supplementary chargesheets. Sibal argued the ED was acting in violation of the law laid down by the top court in its 2022 verdict, which upheld its power to arrest. As a result, Sibal said, the plea challenged the validity of Section 50 and 63 of the PMLA dealing with power of authorities to summon persons, compel the production of documents and record evidence during investigations and punishment for giving false statements. The bench asked if ED was not following the law or deviated from the procedure, did anyone bring it to court's notice or challenge the actions of the probe agencies. The bench said the apex court has previously held that further probe after filing of the chargesheet could only happen with the permission of the court. "There are instances where law can be valid but the action can be invalid," the bench said and asked both the petitioners to bring the facts to the notice of the high court. The bench pointed out the "intertwined" nature of facts in the pleas, making it difficult to segregate them. On the challenge to Sections 50 and 63 of the PMLA, the bench said both petitioners could file fresh writ petitions and the court would hear them with the pending matters. The top court then allowed them to move the high court, which was asked to accord them expeditious hearing. Additional Solicitor General S V Raju said the former CM was no body to the litigation as he was not named in the FIR or the chargesheet in any of the cases but he still moved the apex court. When Justice Bagchi asked Raju to make a statement that he wouldn't be booked or arrested in future, Raju refused to make any such statement at the moment and said everything depended on the investigation. Justice Bagchi told Raju, "Then you are not clear. We cannot leave a citizen's liberty at lurch. He has a right to challenge the provisions." Investigation agencies including the CBI and ED are probing several cases including coal scam, liquor scam, Mahadev betting app cases, Rice mills cases and DMF scam cases, which allegedly happened during the tenure of Bhupesh Baghel as the chief minister. In July, Chaitanya was arrested in a money laundering case related to the alleged Chhattisgarh liquor scam.
India Today
3 hours ago
- India Today
Top court jabs Baghels, asks them to approach High Court first: Where will poor go?
The Supreme Court on Monday took strong exception to a growing trend where influential or affluent individuals bypass lower courts and directly knock on its doors. The remarks came during the hearing of petitions filed by former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and his son Chaitanya Baghel in connection with the money laundering probe in the alleged liquor scam.A bench led by Justice Surya Kant expressed concern over the increasing burden on the apex court due to a rise in such a we have to hear everything, what is the purpose of other courts? Every state has a High Court. Do you think it's a manageable affair for the Supreme Court to deal with everything?' the bench observed. In a stinging remark on the perceived inequality in access to justice, the Court noted, 'This only arises when an affluent person is involved. Where will the poor person go? If this continues, the ordinary litigant, the ordinary lawyer, will have no space in the Supreme Court.'SUPREME COURT TO CHAITANYA BAGHEL: MOVE HIGH COURT FIRSTThe court directed Chaitanya Baghel, son of Bhupesh Baghel, to approach the High Court first in the matter related to the ED court asked Chaitanya Baghel to move the High Court with his plea seeking quashing of proceedings and all his statements recorded in the recent money laundering probe. In a parallel plea by Bhupesh Baghel alleging systemic misuse of investigative powers by central agencies, the bench refused to entertain the court also asked Bhupesh Baghel to approach the High Court with his plea alleging his illegal implication in 13 different cases, including the alleged coal scam, Mahadev betting app case, Chhattisgarh liquor scam, rice milling and NAN FIR by EOW, Manpower FIR Baghel's plea, now withdrawn, challenged the conferment of powers to agencies to conduct 'further investigation' under Section 173(8) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and Section 193(9) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, alleging that the same has been done in the absence of adequate procedural only plea that remains pending before the bench is Bhupesh Baghel's challenge to Section 50 and 63 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, seeking declaration that ED officers have no powers to conduct 'further investigation' under the PMLA. The court also granted liberty to Chaitanya Baghel to file a fresh petition before the Supreme SIBAL'S CHARGE: PIECEMEAL CHARGESHEETS, SYSTEMATIC ABUSEAppearing for Bhupesh Baghel, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal argued that central agencies are filing piecemeal chargesheets and the practice is becoming a 'countrywide problem.'The court observed that it appreciates the concern that, with power being so plenary, there are possibilities of abuse and hounding innocent individuals, but the question is not of vires Additional Solicitor General, appearing for probe agencies, questioned the maintainability of Bhupesh Baghel's petition, stating that he is not concerned with this court responded by asking him to make a statement that Bhupesh Baghel is not connected to the case. When that statement was not made, the court remarked, "You are not clear. We can't take away a person's right to approach court."- EndsTune InMust Watch
