The Telangana High Court has reserved its decision on a criminal petition filed by former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) and MLA T. Harish Rao. They sought to cancel a previous court order that required them to appear in a case related to alleged corruption in the construction of the Medigadda barrage. The case was originally filed by social activist Nagavelli Rajalingam, who was recently murdered.
During an earlier hearing, the judge noted that the petition had become irrelevant since Rajalingam had passed away. However, the Public Prosecutor, Palle Nageshwar Rao, argued that an investigation could still continue even after a complainant’s death. Meanwhile, KCR and Harish Rao’s lawyer, Ramana Rao, opposed this argument.
Previously, Justice Kunuru Lakshman had temporarily suspended a court order requiring KCR and Harish Rao to appear before the Principal Sessions Judge of Jayashankar Bhupalapally. This provided relief to both politicians. Rajalingam had accused them and some officials of misusing large amounts of money during the construction of the barrage, causing financial losses to the government.
PIL on Aadhaar Requirement at Osmania General Hospital
In another case, the High Court directed the government to respond to concerns about Osmania General Hospital (OGH) allegedly refusing to treat patients who do not have Aadhaar cards. A division bench, consisting of Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Renuka Yara, asked the Government Pleader for Family, Medical, and Health departments to clarify the hospital’s stance by February 28.
The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Srinivas Byreddy from Himayathnagar. He sought instructions for the hospital and the health department to provide medical care to the poor without insisting on Aadhaar cards. The government has been given until March 3 to respond.
