HYDERABAD: The Commission of Inquiry on the Kaleshwaram project, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice PC Ghose, is likely to submit its report to the state government after the second week of May.
According to sources, the Commission has prepared a draft report running into 400 pages. The report is currently under review and is expected to be submitted to the government once final vetting is complete.
The sources said the Commission has not yet made a decision on whether to summon Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president and former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, former irrigation minister T Harish Rao and former finance minister Eatala Rajender for cross-examination.
“There is no requirement to cross-examine political leaders to finalise and submit the report. However, if the Commission does decide to summon them, an intimation may be issued in May,” a source within the Commission said.
It may be recalled that the Commission had earlier considered the possibility of examining political leaders this week. While Justice Ghose arrived in Hyderabad on Wednesday and held a few meetings on Thursday, the Commission is not expected to conduct any public hearings during this visit.
Instead, the chairman is reviewing reports from Vigilance and Enforcement and other departments to refine the draft report. “All the facts are part of the official record, and even the statements made by witnesses during cross-examination are documented. Therefore, summoning political leaders may not be necessary, as they cannot refute the documentary evidence,” the source added.
However, some officials cautioned that summoning political leaders could lead to complications and delays, as seen in the case of the earlier Commission on Energy. As of now, it remains unclear whether the political leaders will be summoned in May or not.