Contempt notice to DRT PO Hydrabad

• April 19, 2012 
• DC 
• Hyderabad

Justice L. Narasimha Reddy of the High Court on Wednesday issued a contempt notice to E. Jacob R. Daniel, presiding officer of the Debt Recovery Tribunal, Hyderabad, and chief manager of the Indian Bank. The judge was dealing with a plea by one Kishore Pokala, challenging a GO issued by the government on November 7, 2007 not to register a property located at Road No. 10, Banjara Hills, belonging to N. Sarasa Devi, the alleged kingpin in the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan scam.

The petitioner claimed that he had purchased the property in an auction conducted by the Indian Bank and when he approached the joint sub-registrar, Hyderabad (south), he refused to register it as it was under attachment by the Crime Investigation Department. The CID approached the government, seeking sanction to attach her properties as they were acquired through her having embezzled government funds.

The government gave the sanction and the CID approached the Chief Judge, City Civil Court and the court granted the order to attach the property. Meanwhile, Indian Bank approached the Debt Recovery Tribunal to auction the property as Sarasa Devi had mortgaged it with the bank to secure a loan which she had failed to repay.

Sarasa Devi brought to the notice of the Tribunal that the property was under attachment with the police. However, the Tribunal held that the civil court order was not binding on the Bank and it was not valid. After seeking assistance from the special counsel for the government N. Sridhar Reddy, the judge decided to initiate proceedings for blatant violation of orders of the Civil Court and issued notices under the Contempt of Court Act.

Give flats to those who paid in full: HC
Justice L. Narasimha Reddy of the AP High Court directed the principal secretary to the housing department and the managing director of Rajeev Swagruha Corporation Ltd to ensure that the possession of flats is allotted to the members of the Sathbhavana Township Allottees Welfare Association.

The judge ruled that the allottees should be given the possession without insisting on registration of the documents, provided the entire consideration was paid. The judge granted the interim direction while dealing with a plea by the association, challenging the failure of the authorities to hand over possession to those who were allotted the flats despite payment of the final cost. The judge said that the members of the association had responded to the notification issued by the housing department, which had promised that flats would be sold at 25 per cent less than the market value and possession of the flat would be handed over within 24 months.

Though more than four years have elapsed, construction had not been completed. In the meanwhile, the members of the petitioner-association had paid the entire amount.

Security for Surekha to continue
Justice R. Subhash Reddy of the High Court on Wednesday directed the police to continue providing security to former MLA Konda Surekha, at her own cost, until an assessment of the threat perception had been done before a final decision was taken. The judge granted the order while dealing with a plea by Ms Surekha.