Telangana High Court directs DGP to examine & take decision on security for K A Paul

Hyderabad: A division bench of the Telangana High Court, comprising CJ Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N Tukaramji, on Thursday directed the Director-General of Police to assess the threat perception to KA Paul and take an appropriate decision on restoring personal security to him, preferably in 30 days.

The bench disposed of the suo motu PIL based on the letter addressed by Paul seeking directions to the DGP to restore police security to him.

Paul, as party-in-person, submitted to the court by diverting his plea to the inauguration of new Secretariat building, which is fixed on Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's birthday on February 17, though it has to be declared open on April 14, the birth anniversary of Dr. BR Ambedkar, since it is named after the framer of the Constitution.

Paul also submitted that recently a fire accident had taken place in the Secretariat building. The media had reported the mishap differently like the ground floor, first floor, second floor, fifth floor and sixth floor. He stated that the accident raised many doubts, as even after a week no FIR has been registered.

Paul alleged that it is not a fire accident, but a "Homam". "We don't know how many died in the incident". He charged that the CM demolished the old Secretariat building in the name of vastu misused Rs 660 crore of public money on the construction of the new building. He argued that an inquiry should be ordered by the CBI into the fire accident.

Samala Ravinder, GP for the Fire Safety and Prisons department, and Roopender, GP (Home), objected to the irrelevant submissions made by Paul. The court observed in the order: "We are not inclined to enter into the issue of Secretariat inauguration, which is not before the court. The bench directed the DGP to examine the threat to Paul within 30 days and take a decision on his security. After pronouncing the order, the court dismissed the petition.