HC’s halt to Amaravati probe, gag order unprecedented: Minister

Amaravati, Sep 17 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister Botcha Satyanarayana on Thursday termed the state High Court’s stalling of investigation on the alleged Amaravati land scam and a gag order on media as “unprecedented”.

He claimed the Amaravati land scam involves irregularities in up to 4,000 acres of lands in the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) area, while also alleging the AP State Fibrenet Ltd (APSFL) case was a scam amounting to hundreds of crores of rupees. Both cases were being probed by the SIT.

“What is more shocking is the fact that this order, in a way, struck down a resolution passed by the Assembly, based on which the SIT was setup, thereby making it unconstitutional and against the basic tenets of autonomy of the legislature,” he said.

Satyanarayana said the state government does not have any intention to insult or defame anybody but only doing its job of bringing out the truth which will reach the citizens.

He asserted that the government did not resort to saying or doing anything which is unconstitutional, and stated that the government has immense respect for the judiciary.

However, the minister questioned the court’s urgency in issuing the gag order and restraining the media from reporting on the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) case on former state Advocate General and others.

“Gag orders were not issued even when sitting Chief Justices of India, Ranjan Gogoi and Dipak Mishra, faced certain allegations. All this needs to be considered,” said the senior YSRCP leader.

He asked what is scaring the former Advocate General and others.

Satyanarayana also said the court has stayed all the proceedings pertaining to the cabinet sub-committee’s probe.

–IANS

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