Justice K. Lakshman of the Telangana High Court sentenced K. Nandu Kumar, a businessman from Hyderabad, to one month simple imprisonment in a contempt of court petition filed by film actor Daggupati Venkatesh.
The judgement was, however, suspended for four weeks by the judge, giving an opportunity to Mr. Kumar to go for an appeal. Along with the imprisonment, the judge also imposed a fine of ₹2,000 on Mr. Kumar. The contempt petition was filed by the actor, accusing the businessman of violating a HC order, which directed both of them to maintain status quo with regard to the construction on a property in Banjara Hills.
The businessman filed a writ petition in August of 2021 alleging that GHMC Banjara Hills Circle Deputy Commissioner and Assistant City Planner issued notices to him illegally and affixed a notice on the property without giving him an opportunity to explain his stand. He sought a direction to declare the action of the authorities illegal.
The HC passed an order in September of 2021, instructing both the actor and the businessman to maintain status quo in the matter. Maintaining that the GHMC authorities had seized the property a few days before the status quo order, the actor stated that the businessman went ahead with construction on the said property, violating the HC order.
The judge held that Mr. Kumar had violated the orders of the HC issued on August 10, 2021, and it was evident going by the reports of the GHMC.
