Peddapally sitting MLA and Telugu Desam candidate for the constituency, Vijaya Ramana Rao, was arrested by the Bollarum police of Hyderabad in the early hours of Tuesday. He was later released on bail and went back to Peddapally to take part in the election campaign.
Mr. Rao’s name figured in the confession of a person called Rajamouli of Karimnagar, from whom the Bollarum police seized Rs. 90 lakh, while he was travelling in an APSRTC bus 10 days ago.
Rajamouli, during interrogation, admitted to police that he came to collect money which was to be handed over by a person called Nagaraju at the behest of Mr. Rao. While Rajamouli was arrested and presented before the court, Nagaraju and Mr. Rao were not held till Monday though their names figured in the criminal case registered by the police in connection with the cash seizure.
This was the first instance of police recovering huge amount during the elections. “We released Rao on bail. We’re yet to ascertain facts about his connection with the cash. A charge-sheet will be filed later,” the Bollarum Inspector G. Jagan told The Hindu.