Hyderabad: In a high-voltage assembly showdown over alleged illegal mining, chief minister A Revanth Reddy Saturday ordered a comprehensive probe by the Crime Branch–Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID) into all illegal mining and sand mafia activities from June 2, 2014—the date on which Telangana came into existence—up to the present.The announcement followed nearly two hours of disruption in the House, as members of the BRS, led by deputy leader T. Harish Rao, raised allegations against Raghava Constructions. The accusations triggered heated exchanges, slogan-shouting, and protests in the well of the House. The opposition demanded either a House committee probe, an inquiry by a sitting judge, or the resignation of revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy.Harish Rao alleged that Raghava Constructions, which he claimed was linked to Ponguleti, had been carrying out illegal stone-crushing operations in the GO 111 zone, in violation of environmental and mining regulations. He called for a judicial inquiry into the matter.Intervening amid the deadlock, the CM expanded the scope of the probe, naming multiple firms allegedly linked to BRS leaders and their families, including Midwest Granites, Swetha Granites, and Gayatri Granites, along with others involved in sand and mining operations. “The CB-CID would investigate illegal mining, sand mafia activities, and irregularities involving these firms as well as Raghava Constructions, and that its findings would be tabled in the next session of the assembly,” Revanth said. Revanth asserted that Ponguleti had no connection with Raghava Constructions and accused BRS leaders of deliberately targeting him. He alleged that the opposition was attempting to blackmail the minister and exert pressure on him for not approving works recommended by them, adding that neither Ponguleti nor the govt would yield to such tactics. The CM further stated that the govt had already taken action against Raghava Constructions on its own, issuing notices and collecting Rs 1.52 crore in seigniorage charges and Rs 1.22 crore as permit fees. He emphasised that enforcement action had not been prompted by opposition complaints.Highlighting revenue trends, he noted that the state had earned Rs 721 crore from sand in 2024–25 and Rs 972 crore so far in 2025–26, reflecting a 35 per cent increase. He questioned opposition claims of a slowdown in the real estate sector, asking how sand revenues could rise if the sector were indeed declining.Revanth also alleged that Harish Rao and K . Rama Rao had been involved in irregularities related to mining and sand operations during the previous BRS govt. He rejected attempts to link Ponguleti to Raghava Constructions. “Every Reddy will have a near or a distant relative in Telangana or Andhra Pradesh. The business activities of distant or extended family members could not be attributed to a minister,” he said, alleging it’s KTR who threw his sister K Kavitha out from their home and the party following a dispute over sharing the properties. Earlier, presenting what he described as documented evidence, Harish Rao stated that inspections by multiple departments had revealed large quantities of illegally stored stone and confirmed that Raghava Constructions was operating without essential approvals, including licences and pollution clearances.He further alleged that, despite notices, penalties, and repeated inspections, the firm had continued operations, even using diesel generators in the absence of a legal power connection, thereby raising concerns over environmental damage and risks to nearby water bodies.Questioning the govt’s response, he accused it of double standards in enforcement and claimed that corruption and irregularities in the mining sector were causing significant losses to public revenue. He challenged the govt to order an independent inquiry, asserting that if the minister had no connection to the firm, there should be no hesitation in ordering a judicial or House probe. He also warned that the opposition would continue to press the issue.Deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka and other ministers demanded that Harish Rao withdraw the minister’s name from his allegations. As the standoff continued, speaker G Prasad Kumar ordered that Ponguleti’s name be expunged from the official records.With BRS members persisting in their protests, the House was adjourned and is scheduled to reconvene on Sunday.
