HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has granted interim relief to the State Bank of India (SBI), staying all proceedings arising from the e-auction of a five-acre land parcel in Hyderabad Knowledge City, Raidurg, for three weeks.
Justice NV Shravan Kumar passed the order while hearing three writ petitions filed by SBI challenging the state government’s refusal to extend the timeline for construction of its proposed twin-tower office complex and the subsequent auction process initiated by the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TGIIC).
The dispute concerns Plot No. 1A, measuring five acres in Survey No. 83/1 at Hyderabad Knowledge City, Raidurg Panmaktha village, Serilingampally mandal, Rangareddy district. SBI questioned an alleged communication dated May 20, 2026, rejecting its request for additional time, contending that the decision was never formally served on the bank. It also challenged a TGIIC communication dated May 23 and the e-auction conducted on May 28.
Senior counsel BS Prasad and additional solicitor general N Venkata Ramna, appearing for SBI, submitted that the bank had paid the full sale consideration of Rs 13.33 crore in 2010 and had remained in possession of the property. They said SBI had established a branch and three ATMs on the site and secured the land with a compound wall and security personnel.
SBI attributed the delay in construction to factors including the Covid-19 pandemic, administrative disruptions, regulatory approvals, procurement norms and the merger of State Bank of Hyderabad with SBI. It argued that the state had granted extensions to other allottees under a 2021 policy but denied similar relief to SBI.
The bank also contended that earlier attempts to cancel the allotment had either been set aside by the high court or withdrawn, and that its allotment had never been legally terminated.
Opposing the plea, Additional Advocate General Tera Rajanikanth and senior counsel S Niranjan Reddy argued that the land was allotted on concessional terms subject to completion of the project within two years and that SBI had failed to meet its obligations despite repeated extensions.
The court issued notices to the respondents and Gowra Ventures Private Limited, directed the TGIIC to file its counter-affidavit, and stayed the auction notification and all consequential proceedings for three weeks.
