The YSRCP on Thursday expressed surprise over the AP high court order staying the investigation by Special Investigation Team into the multi-crore Amaravati land scam.
State minister for municipal administration and urban development Botsa Satyanarayana said the high court order was unconstitutional and illegal as it trespassed into the powers of the state legislature.
He reminded that by stalling the SIT probe, the HC had struck down a resolution passed by the AP legislative assembly, as the SIT was constituted based on this resolution.
“So, this is unconstitutional and against the basic tenets of autonomy of the legislature,” Botsa said.
Stating that the state government would immensely respect the judiciary, the minister said the government had no intention to insult or defame anybody.
“But it is our job to ensure that the truth reaches the citizens. We have not resorted to saying or doing anything unconstitutional,” he said.
Botsa said it was unfortunate that the court had stayed all proceedings pertaining to the probe by the Cabinet-Sub Committee.
“Constituting a Cabinet Sub-Committee, deciding on its duration and powers is a legislative privilege given to the assembly by the constitution of the country. How can the courts intervene and issue a stay? Why a stay into the probes into scams?” he asked.
He questioned the urgency shown by the court in issuing a gag order, barring media from reporting anything related to the case against the former AG and daughter of a sitting SC judge.
“Gag orders were not issued even when sitting chief justices of India Ranjan Gogoi and Dipak Mishra faced certain allegations,” he pointed out.
Botsa said the ACB authorities had only registered an FIR and had not taken any further action.
“Every day, thousands of FIRs are lodged and why should the former advocate general and the daughters of a Supreme Court judge be worried about FIR? Why has an FIR startled them so much?” he wondered.