Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Monday scrutinized the locus standi of writ petitioner Birla Mallesh in a contentious case involving Survey No. 194 of Nagaram village. The court was hearing Vacate Petitions filed by senior IAS and IPS officers seeking dismissal of the petition filed by Mallesh.
Senior Officers Challenge Petitioner’s Credibility
Senior counsels representing the IAS and IPS officers, P. Raghuram and Chandrasen Reddy, contended that Birla Mallesh’s petition was an attempt to malign the reputation of the officers. They revealed that Mallesh’s mother, Birla Jangamma, had already filed a writ petition on the same matter in 2024, which was dismissed by the court. However, Mallesh failed to disclose this earlier petition to the High Court in his current filing.
Allegations of Suppression and Misrepresentation
The counsels further accused the petitioner of suppressing critical information and changing his stance regarding the nature of the disputed land. Initially, Mallesh had obtained interim orders treating Survey No. 194 of Nagaram village as Bhoodan land – a land given as a gift for public welfare. Later, he altered his claim, stating that the land was government property, thus contradicting his earlier position.
According to the senior counsels, these contradictory claims and omission of facts suggest a deliberate attempt to mislead the court and challenge the integrity of the officers involved.
Court Denies Request for Time, Reschedules Hearing
The petitioner’s counsel requested a two-week extension to present their arguments. However, the court declined this request, emphasizing the need for swift resolution. The matter was adjourned to July 29 for further hearing.
What’s Next?
The High Court’s decision in this matter could set an important precedent regarding legal standing and procedural transparency in land dispute cases, especially involving government officers and sensitive land classifications like Bhoodan land.
