Date:22/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/22/stories/2008022255380600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Send graft report to government, Telugu Desam tells Lok Ayukta

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam Party has appealed to the Lok Ayukta to send its report on corruption in Sripada Sagar (Yellampalli) project urgently to the government as directed by the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

In a representation submitted to the Lok Ayukta on Thursday, party MLAs -- Nagam Janardhan Reddy, P. Narayanaswami Naidu, Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu and K. Subbarayudu -- said it was 50 days since the High Court Division Bench had dismissed the petition filed by former Advisor to the Government on Irrigation P. Sitapathi Rao seeking a stay on Lok Ayukta report. The court had also directed the Lok Ayukta to send the report to the competent authority “forthwith”.

Mr. Janardhan Reddy said when he and other MLAs sought the report from Chief Secretary J. Harinarayan last month and later through the Right to Information Act application, they were told that the government had not received the report.

The report, finalised and kept in a sealed cover after inquiry by Lok Ayukta, should be made public and discussed in the Assembly as it involved misuse of public money to the tune of Rs. 391 crore.

Estimates were changed overnight from Rs. 1,366 crore to Rs. 1,757 crore to benefit contractors, he alleged. This was later confirmed by the Comptroller and Auditor General.