A Special Court for ACB & SPE Cases extended the remand of TDP legislator A. Revanth Reddy, the main accused in the cash-for-vote case, and two other accused – Harry Sebastian and Uday Simha – till June 29, citing the reason of investigation being still under progress.
The accused were produced before the Principal Special Judge G. Laxmipathi and were taken back to Cherlapally prison by the police after their judicial custody was extended.
The court held up the prosecution Anti Corruption Bureau’s argument filed in the form a memo that the accused could influence the investigation, which is still in progress, if they are set free.
Sources in the ACB stated that they had mentioned investigation still being under progress as the reason to seek the remand extension of the accused.
“The defence will have every right to move a bail petition and get the bail for the accused if we don’t file a memo as the court could believe that the investigation is complete,” an ACB officer explained. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report on the genuineness of the audio and video tapes related to the case holds key for further investigation into the case, the sources said adding that FSL is likely to submit its report to the special court within three-four days.
The FSL report would decide the future course of the probe into the episode, including examining other suspects in the case, the sources noted.
The ACB sleuths investigating the case, which has taken the proportions of a serious row between the administrations of the two Telugu-speaking States, are stated to be confident that the FSL report would corroborate their probe.
Meanwhile, the counsels for the three accused in the case moved bail petitions for their clients in the High Court here on Monday.
The special court had rejected their bail petitions last week following objections by the investigating agency. The case is likely to be listed on Tuesday.
