HYDRAA Chief AV Ranganath Moves Telangana High Court Against Removal Order

Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) Commissioner AV Ranganath has approached the Telangana High Court to challenge a single-judge order directing the state government to remove him from his post following a dispute linked to a property in Lothkunta.

The development follows a directive issued on July 27 by Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti, who instructed the Chief Secretary to relieve Ranganath of his duties as HYDRAA Commissioner and appoint a suitable replacement. The ruling came during the hearing of contempt petitions filed by Shanta Sriram Constructions Private Limited.

The real estate firm alleged that HYDRAA personnel violated previous court orders by entering its 40-acre land in Lothkunta. According to the petition, officials arrived at the site accompanied by 50 vehicles and 200 personnel.

While delivering the order, the single judge observed that Ranganath had become a "law unto himself" and remarked that HYDRAA was exceeding its mandate by bypassing key administrative bodies, including the revenue, irrigation, and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) departments.

In response to the directive, Ranganath stated that he would contest all 63 contempt cases filed against him through appropriate legal channels, reiterating his full confidence in the judicial process. He alleged that the legal actions against him were initiated by influential encroachers affected by HYDRAA's ongoing enforcement drives to protect lakes and government lands across the region.

The Telangana state government, led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, has publicly backed the officer. The administration has indicated that it is likely to approach a division bench to challenge the single-judge order, maintaining that HYDRAA serves as a key reform aimed at safeguarding public assets from encroachment.