Telangana HC Orders Contempt Case Against HYDRAA Chief A.V. Ranganath

The Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed its Registry to initiate a suo moto contempt of court case against HYDRAA Commissioner and IPS officer A.V. Ranganath. The directive was issued after the court observed that the agency had demolished the compound wall of a property situated in Malkajgiri within Medchal Malkajgiri district, acting in direct violation of standing High Court orders.

Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar of the High Court, who passed the order, observed during the hearing that the HYDRAA authorities had erected link-mesh fencing around the Malkajgiri property. The judge noted that this measure was carried out without obtaining any proper communication or instructions from the concerned Revenue authorities holding jurisdiction over the land.

Multiple senior revenue officials were physically present in the courtroom during the hearing, including the Medchal Malkajgiri district Collector, the Tahsildar of Malkajgiri, and the Tahsildar of Trimulgherry. Addressing the bench directly, the Collector and the two Tahsildars informed the court that they had not issued any instructions to HYDRAA authorities to perform the compound wall demolition at the Malkajgiri property.

During the proceedings, the Medchal Malkajgiri district Collector also informed the bench that HYDRAA authorities had executed between 30 and 40 demolitions across his administrative jurisdiction.

In response to this revelation, Justice Shravan Kumar instructed the district Collector to prepare and submit a detailed report on all such unauthorised demolitions that lacked legal sanctity. The judge specified that this report regarding the 30 to 40 demolitions must be presented to the court by the next date of hearing.

To prevent future instances of non-compliance, the judge issued further instructions to the government. Justice Shravan Kumar directed the government to ensure that all jurisdictional district Collectors falling within the operational area of HYDRAA systematically communicate all orders passed by the High Court directly to HYDRAA.

The judge explained that establishing this protocol between district Collectors and HYDRAA would effectively prevent further demolitions or other actions executed by HYDRAA in violation of High Court orders.