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Wednesday, Sep 27, 2006
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CBI, judicial probes into ORR charges

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister orders the enquiries; terms of reference to be finalised

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy has ordered two inquiries, one by the CBI and the other by a retired High Court judge, into alleged irregularities in the acquisition of lands for the Outer Ring Road project.

The terms of reference for both inquiries and the time limit for submitting the reports will be finalised while issuing the order.

However, efforts will be made to see that project works are not stopped. The two inquiries will go into all transactions of lands over period of five to six years, covered by the project.

The order will indicate the peripheral areas of ORR where registration of lands can be disallowed during the probes, if necessary.

A case on the alleged irregularities is pending in the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

No irregularity: YSR

Annoucing this at a press conference here on Tuesday, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy said he believed that no irregularity was committed in the land acquisitions as alleged by a Telugu daily but he preferred the two probes to clear the air and prove honesty and integrity of his Government.

Mounting a trenchant on two Telugu newspapers, he said these dailies were acting as "handmaids" of the main Opposition which was out to blackmail and discredit the Government on one count or the other.

He rejected the Telugu Desam Party's demand for his resignation, saying it was for the people to decide.

Dr. Reddy also indicated that the Government might think of filing defamation suits against the Telugu daily which published the reports for tarnishing the image of the Government and his party.

The ordering of two probes at a time into an issue was yet another instance of his Government being not afraid of CBI inquiry which was steadfastly avoided by the Telugu Desam regime even on serious issues like the Rs. 350-crore beverage scandal.

He said he would have conceded the Telugu Desam demand for a CBI probe if it had sought it during the Assembly debate itself.

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