Hyderabad: The High Court of Telangana State on Friday convicted three government officials for defying its orders and continuing the Mallanna Sagar project works. The Court sentenced Siddipet RDO-cum-special deputy collector Jayachandra Reddy, Toguta Tahsildar L Veer Singh and Gajwel Division superintending engineer T Venu to undergo three months imprisonment and to pay a fine of Rs 2,000 each. However, the Court suspended sentences for six weeks to enable the convicts to go in appeal against its verdict.
It may be mentioned here that some 70 farm labour of Vemughat village under Toguta mandal of Siddipet district approached the High Court last year alleging that the officials were illegally executing the works of Mallanna Sagar project without showing alternative employment to them. Allowing their petition, the High Court passed orders on July 25 last year directing the government officials not to execute the project works without rehabilitating the displaced persons. The Court also directed the officials publicize the details of the project in Telugu and seek fresh objections/suggestions from the affected people.
As the officials continue to execute the project works despite the High Court direction, 17 among the aggrieved persons of Vemulaghat filed court of contempt petition in the High Court again. Taking serious exception to the officials continuing the project works despite ban and also submitting false information to the court, the Justices convicted the three officials and sentenced them to imprisonment and to pay fine amounts. (NSS)
