Date:06/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/06/stories/2008120655560500.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Status quo ordered on Minister’s land

Legal Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Justice Ramesh Ranganathan of the High Court on Friday passed interim orders of status quo regarding the temple land purchased by family members of Minister Gollapalli Surya Rao in Ravulapalem area in East Godavari district.

The orders were passed in response to a writ petition filed by Jagadish, a devotee of Subramanyeswara Swamy temple at L. Polavaram. He said the lands belonging to the temple were auctioned by the Endowments Department to benefit the Bethany Institute run by the wife of the Minister.

The petitioner said that the whole process of selling away lands of the temple was initiated for the benefit of the Bethany Institute and not the Hindu deity. He pointed out various irregularities regarding procedure and violation of the Endowments Act and rules. He lamented that the land adjacent to the NH worth Rs. 1 crore was taken away for an amount of Rs. 10.25 lakh and the ‘public auction’ held in the Bethany Institute. The judge ordered notices and production of file and said no crop should be removed and nature of land should not be altered.