HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath says land mafias misled courts in Lothukunta case

HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath said the contempt cases against him arose from action taken against alleged land encroachers. Responding to the Telangana High Court's observations, he alleged that courts had been misled with false information and reaffirmed his faith in the judiciary.

Hyderabad: Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) Commissioner AV Ranganath on Monday alleged that land mafias and encroachers had misled the courts with false information. He said he had been working with courage, honesty and fearlessness, in a statement issued on Monday following the Telangana High Court’s observations against him.

Referring to the Lothukunta land issue, Ranganath said, “A real estate firm named Shanta Sriram attempted to usurp land worth nearly Rs 10,000 crore. Without any permissions, the firm engaged in the indiscriminate destruction of hundreds of trees and blasted heritage rock formations,” he alleged.

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By allegedly misrepresenting the land’s location and claiming it was situated three kilometres away when it was not, the builder encroached upon 120 acres of government land and subsequently filed a contempt case against him, he charged.

“The 63 contempt of court cases filed against me stem from actions taken against these very individuals. I will face these cases legally. I have full faith in the judiciary and have always worked with respect for the law,” he said.

“Whether in the past, present or future, whatever responsibilities the government entrusts to me, my goal remains to deliver 100 per cent results. I have been working this way, and I will continue to work with the same commitment in the future,” he said.