Hyderabad: Supreme Court has directed HYDRAA chief AV Ranganath to comply with high court orders in three weeks in a contempt of court case related to Bathukammakunta at Amberpet.
A bench of the apex court, comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma, issued directions on Monday while hearing an appeal filed by Ranganath challenging Telangana high court's division bench order of March 17.
Directing the special leave petition filed by Ranganath be listed after four weeks, the SC said: "Compliance report may be filed in the meantime. If any fencing has been erected and retention thereof is considered necessary, justification ought to be provided in such affidavit."
During the hearing, Ranganath's counsel brought to the bench's attention that removing the fence HYDRAA erected around the lake, located in a densely populated area, could lead to accidents.
As Supreme Court refused to intervene in the high court's orders, senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Ranganath, urged three weeks' time to comply with the directions of the high court order, pertaining to removal of fencing and other structures from the disputed site. The matter has now been posted to May 29 for further compliance and further hearing.
The high court had found Ranganath guilty of contempt of court and directed the officer and HYDRAA to remove all ownership markers, signages and structures associated from the disputed land.
This includes dismantling boards, gates and walls that suggest HYDRAA holds any rights or control over the property. The bench further emphasised that the land must not be portrayed as a public space managed by the agency, nor could entry be restricted based on HYDRAA's designated timings.
It then gave HYDRAA a four-week deadline from March 23, 2026, to comply and file a report. These changes remain subject to the final outcome of the pending civil miscellaneous appeal over the ownership of the land.
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Read MorePinto Deepak - Legal Correspondent for The Times of India, Hyderabad, covering Telangana High Court and Supreme Court matters related to the state. Formerly reported on crime in Telangana, including high-profile and violent cases in Hyderabad. Now focused on legal developments, constitutional issues, and judicial accountability in the state’s top courts.
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