Ghose panel faults KCR and team
The Commission has observed in its report that Rao was directly and indirectly responsible for the irregularities in the project, right from its planning and construction to operation and maintenance of the barrages which are part of the project, sources said. The Commission pointed fingers also at former irrigation minister T Harish Rao, a nephew of KCR. A committee of experts had advised against taking up the Kaleshwaram project, but the BRS regime had 'intentionally suppressed' the report, they said. The sources said the officials had prepared a 60-page summary of the report, which runs into 665 pages.
The summary mentioned the names of KCR 32 times, Harish Rao 19 times and former minister Eatala Rajender five times. Rajender is now a BJP Lok Sabha member. The report found Rajender, who was finance minister during the BRS regime, to be negligent, the sources said.
Briefing the press after the Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister, apparently enthused by the damning evidence against former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and ex-ministers, said that since the report was prepared by an independent judicial commission, the question of resorting to politics of vengeance did not arise. Going by the findings of the Commission highlighted in the report, the government will initiate action against those who were involved in the 'embezzlement of public money in the construction of the Kaleshwaram project.'
Amplifying the key findings, Revanth Reddy said that former chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao redesigned the Pranahita -Chevella project and constructed Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages which were damaged within three months of the construction of the Kaleshwaram project. Although an expert committee had submitted a report against Kaleshwaram, KCR chose to go ahead with the construction of the barrages 'without any planning'.
The Chief Minister recounted that, ahead of the Assembly elections, the Congress had promised that, if voted to power, the government would order a probe into the collapse of the Kaleshwaram project. Accordingly, the state government constituted a judicial commission to investigate the misuse of Rs one lakh crore in the construction of the project. Revanth Reddy said that the cabinet reviewed the 665-page Ghose Commission report as well as a summary of the report submitted after vetting by a three-member official committee.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
14 minutes ago
- Business Standard
ED recovered ₹23K cr laundered money, distributed it to victims: SG to SC
The Enforcement Directorate has recovered around ₹23,000 crore laundered money and distributed it to the victims of financial crimes, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court on Thursday. The statement was made by the top law officer before a special bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma during the open court hearing on a batch of pleas seeking review of the controversial May 2 judgement of the apex court. The apex court had on May 2 ordered liquidation of Bhushan Power & Steel Limited (BPSL) while setting aside a resolution plan of JSW Steel Limited for the ailing firm. The CJI-led bench on July 31 recalled the verdict and decided to hear afresh the review pleas in the high stake matter. During the hearing on the review pleas, a lawyer referred to the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) probe in the BPSL case as well. Here also ED is there, the CJI quipped. In response, the solicitor general said, Let me tell a fact, which was never said in any court, and that is ED has recovered Rs 23,000 crore (laundered money) and given it to the victims". The law officer said recovered money does not remain with the state exchequer and goes to the victims of financial crimes. What is the conviction rate, the CJI asked. Mehta said conviction rates in penal offences are also very low, and referred to the ills plaguing the criminal justice system in the country as the key reason for it. To which, the CJI said, Even if they are not convicted you have been successful in sentencing them almost without a trial for years together". The law officer said, In some of the cases where the politicians were raided, where the cash was found, our (cash counting) machines stopped functioning because of the huge cashwe had to bring new machines". He added that some narratives are being built on YouTube programmes when some big politicians are caught. The CJI said, We do not decide matters on narratives I don't see news channels. I see headlines in newspapers only in the morning for 10-15 minutes". The law officer said he knew the cases are not decided by the judges on the narratives being built on social media and outside courtrooms. Several benches of the top court have been critical of alleged high handedness of the ED especially in cases involving opposition leaders in money laundering cases. The CJI-led bench on July 21, in a different case, had observed that the Enforcement Directorate was "crossing all limits". The suo motu matter pertained to summoning of two senior advocates by the ED for offering legal advice or representing clients during investigations.
Indian Express
14 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Surat jeweller booked for duping South Mumbai diamond merchant of Rs 1.81 crore
The Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) police on Wednesday booked a Surat-based jeweller for allegedly cheating a South Mumbai-based diamond merchant of Rs 1.81 crore. The suspect has been identified as Rajeshkumar Sharma, 50, proprietor of Krishna Jewellers in Surat, and his firm has been in the diamond business for the past three years, the police said on Thursday. According to the police, Sharma was the client of the complainant, Rajesh Vithani, who runs a company in Bharat Diamond Bourse in BKC, Bandra (East), dealing with the purchase and sale of diamonds. Vithani is in the business of giving the precious stones to traders, dealers, and brokers in the diamond market on a receipt. The suspect won the confidence of Vithani, since Sharma's firm had bought diamonds from the complainant in the past, the police said. Sharma had contacted Vithani's office in March and said that he had a reputed client interested in purchasing high-quality diamonds. Based on his previous business relation with Sharma, Vithani supplied him two consignments of cut and polished natural diamonds, weighing 444.86 carats worth Rs 1.31 crore, and a second consignment of 475.82 carats worth Rs 49.9 lakh. Sharma had signed the receipt in the presence of the complainant under the promise that he would make the payment in 15 days. In his complaint, Vithani stated that when he contacted Sharma after two weeks, he claimed that he had met with an accident and was undergoing an operation, and required more time to pay the amount. After a month, Sharma gave another excuse that his daughter had undergone a heart operation and that he would complete the payment soon, said an officer. Later, when the complainant tried to contact Sharma, his number was initially found switched off and then out of service, the police said.
Time of India
14 minutes ago
- Time of India
Varun Dhawan wraps 'Border 2' with cake and Golden Temple blessings
Charity Chaos: Harry Breaks Silence After Sentebale Investigation Ends Prince Harry has broken his silence following the UK Charity Commission's investigation into Sentebale, the African charity he co-founded. While the Commission cleared him of any wrongdoing, finding no evidence of racism, bullying, or misogyny, Harry says the reputational damage is already done, and it's the vulnerable children who will suffer. Tensions within the organisation reportedly began after internal clashes with current chair Dr Sophie Chandauka. By March 2025, Harry and the entire board resigned, claiming they could no longer work with her. His team alleges she refused to step down and instead sued to retain her position. Though the final report blamed no one, it sharply criticised Sentebale's leadership for mishandling internal disputes. 250 views | 23 hours ago
