Hyderabad: Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy announced that a special investigation team (SIT) will be formed to investigate the online betting menace, which has been destroying the families of the poor in the state. He said that if needed, CB CID would be roped in.
Addressing the budget session of the Telangana assembly on Wednesday, March 26, Revanth Reddy said that the punishment for those running such online betting/gaming apps would be raised by amending the legislation enacted to prohibit such illegal activities in 2017 in the upcoming assembly sessions.
He said that the amendment was needed because the maximum punishment for such a crime was only two years, which needed to be raised so that such activities could be controlled.
He said that the state government was going to act tough to control online betting, gutka, and banned substances.
Talking about the issue of 400 acres of government land being given to Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC), Revanth Reddy said that a false propaganda was being spread by certain vested interests that it was a biodiversity rich area home to certain species of animals like peacocks and deer.
“They are talking as if it was a reserve forest having lions and tigers. Actually some foxes are there which are preventing planned development there, by instigating the students,” he said.
He also clarified saying the land didn’t belong to Hyderabad Central University (HCU), and that the land was allotted to one Billy Rao owning IMG Bharat 25 years ago, which was cancelled in 2006.
“After coming to power we appointed advocates to fight the case in Supreme Court and got that land back. Why didn’t the previous government fail to take back that land in 10 years,” he asked.
Revanth Reddy said that the land will be given to international companies for multi-zone mixed use through TGIIC.
Also speaking on the speculations regarding possible by-elections in certain assembly constituencies, Revanth Reddy said that no by-election will be held, and all the MLAs will complete their full-term in the present government.
Siddipet MLA T Hairsh Rao raised point-of-order against the chief minister was speaking on the floor of the assembly on an issue which was sub-judice in the Supreme Court, on the turn-coat MLAs.
Civil supplies minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy rose and said that it is a regular affair even in the Lok Sabha where MPs speak on issues which are sub-judice.
This post was last modified on March 26, 2025 6:20 pm