BJP demands expansion of CBI probe into KLIP, seeks changes in ToR

BJP MLA Payal Shankar alleged that the Congress-led State government has conspired to derive political mileage by limiting the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) probe into the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) to just the construction of three barrages — Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla — instead of investigating the entire project, which includes canals, pump houses, and power stations and changing of the location from Tummidhatti to Medigadda.

Addressing a press conference at the party’s State headquarters on Tuesday, Mr. Shankar demanded that the State government alter the Terms of Reference (ToR) mentioned in the Government Order (GO) entrusting the probe to the CBI. Otherwise, the BJP would move to the Supreme Court and seek a direction to this effect.

Mr. Shankar pointed out that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy — while he was the Congress MP and TPCC president — had alleged a ₹1 lakh crore scam in the KLIP. “However, his government limited CBI’s probe to just three barrages, whose cost is around just ₹12,000 crore against the total project cost of around ₹1.4 lakh crore. By not mentioning the other components of the project, the Congress government is trying to shield the BRS,” the MLA alleged.

He also accused the State government of attempting to defame the BJP by limiting the CBI’s probe, and of tampering with critical evidence by conducting repairs at the barrages despite the PC Ghose commission’s investigation into the project’s irregularities.

Mr. Shankar questioned why the original plan of constructing the barrage at Tummadihatti was abandoned and who made that decision. He urged the government to amend the ToR to include all aspects of the project, from planning to execution, and to identify all responsible officials and contractors.

The BJP legislator warned that if the ToR is not amended within 15 days, the party would approach the Supreme Court seeking a comprehensive investigation.