HYDERABAD: Justice K Lakshman of the Telangana high court on Thursday made it clear that the court would not condone weekend demolitions, sharply criticising Hydraa inspector Rajasekhar for executing sudden demolitions without due process.
The court was hearing a petition filed by Alagiri Praveen of Muthangi village in the Patancheru area, which falls under Tellapur municipality.
The petitioner’s counsel informed the court that, following complaints about encroachment on park land in the nearby Gayatri Colony, the petitioner had provided all relevant documents proving his ownership. Despite this, Hydraa proceeded to demolish the petitioner’s tin shed without prior notice. Hydraa’s counsel contended that the petitioner was constructing sheds in a colony layout area.
Justice Lakshman questioned Hydraa’s authority to carry out demolitions unilaterally, emphasising that such arbitrary actions cannot be justified in a democratic system. The judge reprimanded the agency for bypassing legal procedures, disregarding the pendency of a civil suit, and failing to adhere to GO No. 99 issued on July 19, 2024.
The writ petition filed by Praveen argued that he had legitimate ownership of the land, backed by a registered sale deed, and had obtained all necessary approvals, including conversion from agricultural to non-agricultural land on July 5, 2023, and building permissions from Muthangi gram panchayat (which was later merged into Tellapur municipality) on Nov 15, 2023. Despite these clearances, Hydraa carried out the demolition on Jan 31 this year.
The judge questioned Hydraa’s role in land disputes and sought an explanation from officials for failing to consider the two pending civil suits. “You cannot rely on an unapproved layout to demolish private property without authority,” the judge said. The case was adjourned for 10 days, with a counter to be filed before the next hearing.
