Telangana HC Directs HYDRAA Commissioner to File Apology Affidavit in Contempt Case

The Telangana High Court on Friday directed HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath to submit a detailed affidavit along with an apology on July 27 in connection with three contempt petitions filed by a private real estate company, which has accused the agency of repeatedly violating court orders related to a disputed 40-acre property in Lothukunta village near Hyderabad.

The court issued the direction while hearing the petitions alleging that HYDRAA officials repeatedly trespassed onto the company's land despite judicial orders. It also stated that its July 23 order directing the deployment of Army personnel to safeguard the disputed land an order that had been kept in abeyance for one day would be reconsidered after the Commissioner files the required affidavit on July 27.

Earlier, the High Court had ordered that Army personnel be stationed at the site and instructed them to take HYDRAA officials into custody, along with their vehicles, if they attempted to enter the disputed property. The court remarked that although it was aware the Army is ordinarily not deployed in such situations, it had "lost faith in the state government and its instrumentalities" due to repeated instances of alleged non-compliance with judicial orders by HYDRAA, revenue officials, police, and other authorities.

However, after the Chief Law Officer of the Telangana Government assured the court that the HYDRAA Commissioner would file an affidavit undertaking that neither he nor his staff would enter the disputed property and would comply with all court directions, the High Court temporarily suspended its earlier order.

On Friday, a counter affidavit filed on behalf of A.V. Ranganath denied the allegations, stating that HYDRAA had neither interfered with nor entered the 40-acre land claimed by the petitioner. The Commissioner also informed the court that a more detailed affidavit would be submitted later.

Expressing dissatisfaction, the High Court observed that it was "unable to fathom" the need for an additional affidavit when the alleged contemptuous conduct was already evident. It further noted that it had exercised restraint for the third time, solely based on the assurance given by the government's Chief Law Officer, thereby sparing the Commissioner from being taken into custody.

The matter has now been posted for further hearing on July 27, when the Commissioner is expected to file the detailed affidavit and apology.