HYDERABAD: The Commission of Inquiry on the Kaleshwaram project has issued notices to former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, former Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao and former Finance Minister in the BRS regime, E Rajender (now BJP MP from Malkajgiri), directing them to appear before the Commission within the next 15 days for cross-examination.
The Commission has fixed June 5 as the deadline for Chandrasekhar Rao, June 6 for Harish Rao, and June 9 for Rajender to appear before it. The Commission of Inquiry is headed by former Supreme Court Judge PC Ghose.
For the past three months, the Commission had been in a dilemma over whether to summon politicians for inquiry. However, on Monday, the State government extended the tenure of the Commission by two more months, up to 31 July, 2025. On Tuesday, the Commission served notices to the political leaders.
In June 2024, Chandrasekhar Rao had approached the High Court after receiving notices from the Justice L Narasimha Reddy Commission, which had probed alleged irregularities in the power purchase agreement (PPA) with Chhattisgarh, as well as in the construction of the Yadadri and Bhadradri thermal plants by the then BRS government.
Eventually, the Commission of Inquiry on Energy submitted its report without questioning KCR.
The reaction of Chandrasekhar Rao was not immediately available on being summoned by the Kaleshwaram Commission. It remains to be seen whether the former Chief Minister will take legal recourse or depose before the Commission.
After much dilly-dallying, the Commission finally decided to summon Chandrasekhar Rao, Harish Rao and Rajender for questioning, as it believes that its report would lack validity if it were submitted without examining them.
The Commission resolved not to go against the principles of natural justice and wanted to provide an opportunity to the political leaders to present their version. Initially, the Commission had considered submitting its report in the last week of May without questioning the politicians.