KCR DEMANDS JUSTICE L NARSIMHA REDDY TO SET DOWN FROM COMMISSION OF INQUIRY

HYDERABAD: Blaming the commission of inquiry headed by former chief justice of Patna high court Justice L Narsimha Reddy for lacking neutrality, former chief minister and BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao asked Justice Narsimha Reddy to recuse himself from the responsibility of heading an inquiry commission. He also alleged that the Congress government ordered the commission of inquiry with a clear political motive and also to discredit the earlier govt.

“An inquiry of this nature expects the chairman to show and practice neutrality and bring out the truth after examining the issues from different angles. After such an exercise, the report ought to be submitted to responsible persons. But I am constrained to observe that your way of functioning is contrary to the well enunciated principles and processes. It is very clear that you have formed a predetermined opinion that mistakes were committed and it is indicative of your biased view that could be reflected in the final report. It is as if you have determined that a mistake has been committed and now all it remained to calculate the extent of financial loss as per your statements,” KCR said in his letter to the inquiry commission on Saturday.

He said “it is as if you are delivering the judgement even before conducting the inquiry and it does not behave the stature of a retired Chief Justice of the Patna High Court. An inescapable conclusion after considering all these facts, is the futility of deposing anything before this commission of inquiry. Hence considering all these facts, I humbly request you to recuse yourself from the responsibilities of heading the commission of inquiry,” the former CM said.

The inquiry commission was constituted by the Congress govt in March this year under the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 to probe into power purchase agreements (PPA) entered during BRS govt period and also Yadadri and Bhadradri power plants, served notices on the former chief minister to clarity on power purchase agreement with Chattisgarh govt and construction of power plants especially Yadadri which was given on nomination basis.

Though the ex-CM asked time till the end of July to submit his argument to the commission, the inquiry commission asked him to submit his oral or written argument or clarification before June 15. On the same day i.e on June 15, he shot off a letter to the inquiry commission raising his objections.

“I wanted to submit my reply to the commission by June 15, 2024 as per your notice, but against the conventions of a commission of inquiry, before completing the inquiry, your act of calling for a press conference, taking the name of Telangana state and my name in the press conference and extending the time for submitting the reply in view of the Lok Sabha elections as a personal favour, have caused extreme pain to me,” KCR said.

KCR said CM Revanth Reddy when he was MLA of TDP had submitted his objection to procuring the power from Chattisgarh to the Telangana Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Commission had given clearance to the state govt after carefully considering the objections filed.

“Enquiry commission could not be constituted against the orders of ERC and the Congress govt chose to constitute the commission of inquiry. “Your taking charge of the commission without informing the govt such inquiry is illegal and that too despite you being former Chief Justice of the High Court is highly regrettable,” he said.

He said he was placing his objections on record for your decision to begin the proceedings illegally and without examining the issues in a proper perspective and also making some inappropriate comments against me, KCR said.