A division bench of the Hyderabad High Court on Thursday directed officials of the State Bank of Hyderabad to produce records pertaining to the opening of account in the name of the AP State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE). The bench wanted to ascertain who were the authorised signatories to operate the bank account and other details. The bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar issued the directive while hearing petitions filed with regard to utilization of funds of the Higher Education Council.
The AP government filed the petition challenging the action of the bank in freezing its account at its Shanti Nagar branch in the city and alleged that the bank did so at the behest of the Telangana government. On the other hand, the Telangana government filed a petition seeking to restrain the AP government and APSCHE from operating or withdrawing amounts from the bank accounts in respect of institutions specified in Schedule X of the AP Act.
During the hearing, the bench found fault with bank officials for freezing the bank account of APSCHE. It asked the bank to show provisions of law which authorised it to freeze the said account. Telangana Advocate General K Ramakrishna Reddy submitted that the fiduciary relationship between banks and APSCHE has ended after the constitution of Telangana State Council of Higher Education. The bench posted the matter to Tuesday for further hearing.
Survey Land Allotted to Aruna’s Daughter: HC
The Hyderabad High Court on Thursday directed the Telangana government to take steps for conducting a survey of the land allotted to DK Snigdha Reddy, daughter of f Congress MLA DK Aruna, for carrying out quarrying operations at Mannapur village in Mahabubnagar district. A division bench comprising Justice Dilip B Bhosale and Justice A Ramalingeswara Rao passed the interim orders on a PIL filed by B Krishna Mohan Reddy, ex-ZPTC member, alleging illegal crushing operations by the family members of DK Aruna at Mannapur village. Following the court direction, the counsel for Snigdha Reddy submitted an affidavit stating that his client had been undertaking quarrying operations in the area allotted to her and termed the allegations baseless. After perusing the affidavit, the bench took on record the affidavit and directed the government counsel to see that officials take steps for conducting the survey for demarcation of the land allotted to Reddy. The matter was posted for further hearing to April 15.