The special court dealing with Anti-Corruption Bureau cases has directed the agency to reinvestigate the cash-for-vote episode that rocked Telangana last year, and submit a report before September 29, the YSR Congress (YSRC) has said.
The special court’s direction came in light of a private complaint filed by YSRC Mangalagiri MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy.
The court wanted to reinvestigate the case under Section 156 (3) of the Cr.P.C. that empowers the magistrate to check police performance and monitor it, besides placing the persons named in the complaint as accused in the case.
The cash-for-vote episode kicked off a furore in the two Telugu states last year as Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLAs from Telengana, A. Revanth Reddy and S. Venkata Veeraiah, were accused of offering bribe to nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson for casting his vote in favour of the TDP nominee. Audio and video clippings subsequently released on the issue led to a war of words between the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and the TDP.
Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy said he had filed the complaint with recorded evidence showing the involvement of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in various capacities, including that of the “main conspirator, abettor and perpetrator”. The court gave the direction as it found prima facie evidence on the involvement of Mr. Naidu in the incident. Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy prayed, in his complaint, that Mr. Naidu should be dealt with under relevant provisions, including the Prevention of Corruption Act, as he was party to a major conspiracy.
