Telangana govt to hand over Kaleshwaram project irregularities case to CBI

HYDERABAD: Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy announced in the state assembly in the early hours of Monday that the state government will hand over the Kaleshwaram project case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).After a speech lasting over one-and-a-half hours past midnight during the short discussion on Justice P C Ghose Commission probe report on irregularities in the over Rs one lakh crore Kaleshwaram project, which was tabled in the state assembly on Sunday, CM Revanth stated: "With the permission of the speaker, the government has decided to hand over the case to CBI to punish the culprits. The Ghose commission report has nailed former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, former ministers T Harish Rao and Eatala Rajender, and also many officers, officials, contractors and engineers," he said.The report submitted by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) also stated that Medigadda barrage was damaged due to lack of planning, design and quality control deficiencies. The NDSA identified that the defects in the construction were due to poor quality and maintenance."The NDSA and the Ghose Commission reports have made it clear that it required a deeper and more comprehensive investigation on all these issues. Inter-state entities, various departments and agencies of the Central and State Governments are involved in this project. Since Central Public Sector Undertakings like WAPCOS and financial institutions like PFC and REC are involved in the design, construction and financing of the project, the government decided to hand over this case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Hence, the House took a decision to hand over the investigation of the Kaleshwaram project case to the Central Bureau of Investigation," Revanth said.The government had constituted Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose Commission to investigate into the alleged irregularities, misuse of public funds and corruption in the construction of Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages in the Kaleshwaram project.The Ghose Commission of Inquiry submitted its report to the government on July 31, 2025. The state cabinet approved it on August 4, 2025. The state cabinet also took the decision to table the report in the assembly, which was discussed in detail in the assembly, and the discussions extended from Sunday to early hours of Monday."The Ghose Commission found several irregularities including negligence, deliberate suppression of facts and financial irregularities. The Commission concluded that faults took place in the construction of the three barrages. The Commission also exposed the previous BRS government's failure in constructing the Kaleshwaram project as per standard norms," Revanth said.Revanth said Kaleshwaram Corporation was formed for the construction of the Kaleshwaram project by the previous BRS government led by K Chandrasekhar Rao and borrowed Rs. 85,449 crores. The previous BRS government borrowed Rs. 27,738 crores at 11.5 percent interest from Power Finance Corporation and another Rs. 30,536 crores borrowed at 12 percent interest."We have so far paid Rs 19,879 crore as principal amount for loans. Another Rs. 29,956 crore was paid as interest to various banks. A total of Rs. 49,835 crores have been paid to banks so far. We still have a burden of Rs. 60,869 crore. Another Rs 47,000 crore would be required if the leftover works of Kaleshwaram project have to be completed," he said.The CM pointed out that on October 21, 2020, an engineer filed a complaint about the damage of the barrage at Mahadevpur police station. The then chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao also received a report. Police forces were deployed around Medigadda at that time and not even a single person was allowed to come."It was KCR who shifted the barrage location to Medigadda from Tummidi Hatti. The reason for changing the technology was by the then Irrigation minister T Harish Rao. The CM alleged that the BRS rulers swindled public money through the Kaleshwaram project. The government ordered an enquiry as per the guidelines," he added.