April 20: The Andhra Pradesh High Court which had taken up a letter sent by Dr P. Shankar Rao seeking a CBI probe into a land deal between Emaar and the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, passed an order on February 25 declaring that the plea of Dr Shankar Rao was maintainable.

Emaar took exception to the maintainability of the petition. The court order said it was satisfied that the matter was in the public interest and converted the letter into a writ. Emaar sought revision of the order. While dismissing the review petition on Wednesday, the bench said, “We are of the opinion that the present case does indicate utmost public importance and requires thorough examination as the government agencies entrusted with the duty to discharge their functions and obligations in accordance with law have failed in discharging their duty.”

The bench said it was necessary to know who had failed to do their public duty to protect the interests of the government. The bench also recalled the concept of equality enshrined in the Constitution and said that however high a person may be, “the law is above him”. The bench posted the case to April 25 for hearing and final disposal.

HC stays arrest of HCA functionaries
Justice N. Ravi Shankar of the AP High Court on Wednesday stayed the arrest of various functionaries of the Hyderabad Cricket Association, including Mr Shivlal Yadav, Mr Arshad Ayub and Dr Sridhar. The judge was dealing with the petitions filed by the HCA office-bearers seeking quashing of the proceedings pending against then in a special court of the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

The special court had directed the ACB to register a case against the office bearers and probe into the alleged large-scale financial irregularities in the construction of the cricket stadium at Uppal. The office-bearers contended that they do not come under the purview of the Prevention of Corruption Act as they were not public servants. While posting the petition to Tuesday for hearing, the judge directed the ACB not to arrest the accused till Monday.

Two writs seek info on Baba health
A habeas corpus petition was filed in the High Court seeking to know the whereabouts of Satya Sai Baba. Mr Srinivas Reddy, an advocate from Zaheerabad in Medak district filed the writ stating that the Satya Sai Central Trust members were not disclosing facts. Another advocate, Ms T.H. Sowbhagya Lakshmi, filed a writ seeking a direction to appoint a five-member panel to visit Prashanti Nilayam, to enquire into Baba’s condition. She urged the HC to declare as illegal the action of the trust in not disclosing correct facts.

HC acquits 3 cops in lock-up death
The High Court on Wednesday acquitted three police officials, including a sub-inspector of Vijayawada city, of charges of the murder of one Krishnakumari in the police lock-up, while sentencing two women constables to two years in jail for failure to perform their duty. A division bench comprising Justice V. Eswaraiah and Justice V Suri Appa Rao was dealing with an appeal filed by four police officials and a driver challenging the order of the lower court in sentencing them to life imprisonment.