The Telangana High Court on Monday directed HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath to remove the structures and signages erected by it on the seven acres of land forming part of Bathukammakunta in Amberpet of Hyderabad, holding him guilty of contempt of court for wilful disobedience of its order issued on June 12 last year.
The bench of Justices Moushumi Bhattacharya and B.R. Madhusudhan Rao, pronouncing verdict in a contempt of court case filed by an advocate Sudhakar Reddy accusing the HYDRAA Commissioner of breaching the HC order in a Civil Miscellaneous Appeal, instructed the HYDRAA Commissioner to restore the land to the position it was as on June 12 of 2025. The bench noted that while the prescribed statutory punishment of simple imprisonment for contempt of court ‘is not appropriate in the case’.
Observing that ‘imposition of fine for contumacious violation of the order is too less; while imprisonment is too harsh’ in the case, the bench noted that imprisonment would not serve the purpose of reparation. It would not restore the rights of the petitioner either. The HYDRAA cannot be permitted to enjoy the fruits of its contumacious acts while admitting contempt of court, the bench said.
Invoking the principle of restitutive justice, the bench directed the HYDRAA to restore the land to the original position of June 12 of 2025. However, the position of the seven acres of land which is the subject matter of the CMA as on June 12 showed deeply dug portions with water overflowing from a broke drain culvert. The surface of the land too was uneven with accumulated stagnation water, the bench observed.
Since the HYDRAA made changes to the said land by with civil works and beautification carried out subsequently, ‘it would be mindless to direct the physical unearthing or digging up of the said land once again only for the sake of restitutive justice’, the bench noted. The bench ordered the HYDRAA to take down all markers and indications of ownership of the land by the latter or any indication hinting that HYDRAA had rights over the said land.
All structures, signages indicators, including modes of restricting the access to the said land in the form of gates, walls which suggest that the said land was a public place should be removed, the bench ordered. The bench made it clear that HYDRAA should remove descriptions suggesting that access to the land had designated timings. All this should be completed within four weeks from Monday.
The HYDRAA should file an affidavit of compliance, the bench said clarifying that the changes should be subject to the outcome of the CMA.
Published – March 23, 2026 09:17 pm IST
