Bachupally land row: Telangana HC jails ADR Estates MD, officials

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has awarded six months of imprisonment to the Managing Director of ADR Estates Private Limited and three registration officials for violating its interim order.

The order, issued by a division bench of Justice Kunuru Lakshman and Justice Tukaramji, was related to a land dispute involving 10 acres at Bachupally in Medchal-Malkajgiri district, Telangana.

However, the bench suspended the prison sentence for four weeks.

How Bachupally land dispute reached High Court

The dispute concerns 10 acres in Survey No. 140, which forms part of a larger land parcel measuring 17 acres and 10 guntas.

Chalasani Kalyani Leela claimed rights over the property through a registered sale deed.

ADR Estates, headed by Ch. Damodar Rao, had filed a writ petition in 2021 seeking the removal of the sale deed from the Encumbrance Certificate.

On December 3, 2021, a single judge directed ADR Estates to submit a fresh request to the registration authorities.

Kalyani Leela, whose property interests were affected, was not included as a party in that case. She challenged the decision through a writ appeal.

On February 2, 2023, a division bench stayed the single judge’s order.

Property documents registered despite interim order

Later, alleging that ADR Estates and registration officials had ignored the interim stay, Kalyani Leela approached the High Court with a contempt petition.

She claimed that documents relating to the disputed land were submitted for registration. It was accepted by the officials, she said.

ADR Estates denied violating the order and argued that the court had not imposed a blanket restriction. The registration officials also disputed the allegations.

High Court rejected explanation

The High Court rejected the officials’ explanation, clarifying that the issue was their non-compliance with the court’s directions.

The judges held that the actions of officials, along with those of ADR Estates, amounted to an intentional and deliberate violation of the interim order.

ADR Estates Managing Director Ch. Damodar Rao and three registration officials were each sentenced to six months of simple imprisonment and fined Rs 2,000.

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