Andhra Pradesh firm on Amaravati land scam probe, appeal finally listed in Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: The Andhra Pradesh government is unlikely to budge an inch from its decision to probe alleged irregularities committed by the Chandrababu Naidu regime in the execution of the Amaravati greenfield capital city project despite legal hurdles in the high court, delays in the Supreme Court and stiff opposition from the TDP.

It is learnt the government’s standing counsel in New Delhi has written to the Secretary-General of the Supreme Court, drawing his attention to the delay in listing the special leave petition filed on September 22 against the high court stay on Government Orders pertaining to the constitution of a Cabinet Sub-Committee and a special investigation team to review decisions taken by the previous TDP regime and probe the alleged Amaravati land scam, respectively.

In the missive, he explained all defects in the plea had been rectified but it was yet to be numbered despite repeated follow up.

“The matter is of significant importance to the State as it relates to investigation into the conduct of high-ranking officials,” he said,  requesting the Secretary General’s intervention.

The SLP in question was filed consequent to the high court’s stay order issued on September 16 on a writ petition filed by TDP leader Varla Ramaiah. The high court order had dismayed the government for it had ruled that “If previous government’s decisions were to be reviewed, the present dispensation ought to have legislative approval. A government on its own cannot do so and no law has conferred such powers on the State government.”

The state government filed another SLP in the SC on September 21 against another high court order that gagged the media from reporting on an FIR filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau against Dammalapati Srinivas, former Advocate General, and 12 others including the family members of a Supreme Court judge, in the Amaravati land scam. The HC had also stayed further probe in the matter.