Hyderabad: The controversy surrounding the Kaleshwaram project has taken a new turn with Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Praveen Sood’s visit to Hyderabad. He held discussions with officials at the CBI office in Koti, days after Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced that the case would be handed over to the central agency.
The Telangana government had earlier written to the Union Home Ministry and the CBI Director, seeking a probe into the findings of the Justice Chandra Ghosh Commission, based on the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) report. The state alleged large-scale irregularities in project design, construction quality, and financial dealings, and requested investigation into contractors, private firms, officials, and even public representatives linked to the project.
The High Court, however, directed that no action be initiated against former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and former Minister T. Harish Rao based on the Ghosh Commission report, and instructed that the report not be handed over to the CBI. It clarified that inquiries could proceed based on the NDSA and other reports.
About Praveen Sood
Praveen Sood, a 1986-batch IPS officer of the Karnataka cadre, took charge as CBI Director on May 25, 2023, for a fixed term of two years. He previously served as Karnataka’s Director General and Inspector General of Police, and has also held key positions as Police Commissioner of Mysuru and Bengaluru. In 1999, he served as a police advisor to the Mauritius government.