Cash-for-vote: KCR reopened case on behest of Modi, says Revanth Reddy

"On the suggestion of Modi, KCR has reopened the cash-for-vote case," Revanth alleged.
Cash-for-vote: KCR reopened case on behest of Modi, says Revanth Reddy
Cash-for-vote: KCR reopened case on behest of Modi, says Revanth Reddy
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Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's decision to hold a review meeting on the controversial cash-for-votes case that rocked the state in 2015, triggered off a massive political furore on Tuesday.

Chief accused Revanth Reddy held a press meet, where he told reporters, "Unable to digest opposition leaders pointing out his fault, KCR, on the orders of Prime Minister Narenda Modi, is playing this game. It is because of this that he called for the meeting and ensured that the newspapers and other media channels reported it."

Revanth also said that he was neither afraid of Modi nor Kedi (KCR), adding that the Telangana Chief Minister was "simply triggering speculation so he can scare us, and save himself and ensure no opposition for 2019 elections."

However, he also said that he couldn't speak on the specifics of the case due to conditional bail order of the court.

"Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu has given a call to defeat the BJP in the Karnataka Assembly elections and because of this, on the suggestion of Modi, KCR has reopened the cash-for-vote case," Revanth alleged.

Jerusalem Mathaiah, another accused in the case, also spoke to reporters and sought a CBI enquiry into the case.

“I demand that CBI probe be ordered into both the cases--- cash-for-vote and telephone tapping as both Naidu and KCR, are using the cases to suit their own needs,” he told reporters.

He also alleged that two TRS Ministers had offered him money when the scam broke out, to speak against TDP chief Naidu.

"All the evidence to support this is also in the same phone call records and files that were submitted to KCR," he said.

Meanwhile, the opposition party in Andhra Pradesh, the YSRCP, also cashed in on the development.

Addressing a press meet, YSRCP leader Botcha Satyanarayana said that Naidu was the 'mastermind' behind the whole scam and urged KCR to expedite the case. 

"Naidu compromised to the TRS government on various aspects ever since his alleged involvement was exposed and gave up rightful share of Andhra Pradesh," Satyanarayana alleged.

The case

Telangana TDP legislator A Revanth Reddy was caught red-handed by the ACB on May 31, 2015, when he was offering Rs 50 lakh to Independent MLA Stephenson to make him vote for the TDP-BJP candidate in the elections to the Telangana legislative council. 

ACB, which had laid a trap on a complaint by Stephenson, also arrested Revanth Reddy's aides. TRS leaders have been alleging that Naidu is the mastermind in the scam and he should be booked.

The ACB had earlier said that there were 516 telephone conversation records in the phone of Sebastian, one of the aides arrested, of which 102 are related to the cash-for-vote case.

However, the most important phone call was one alleged to be between Elvis Stephenson and Chandrababu Naidu.

The audio tape was first played by T News, a Telugu news channel owned by the ruling TRS party and was later picked up by others. 

During the conversation, Naidu purportedly assured the nominated member that he is with him. "Our people briefed me. I am with you don't bother. For everything I am with you. What all they spoke, we will honour," Naidu was heard telling the legislator.

In November 2016, an ACB court ordered that Naidu's reported role in the case be probed, following which the Chief Minister's advocates challenged the order in the Hyderabad High Court.

In December, the HC set aside the order of the ACB court, following which a YSRCP MLA moved the Supreme Court.

In March 2017, the apex court served a notice to Naidu, seeking his response to YSRC MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy’s petition. It also directed the Telangana government to file a counter.

IANS inputs

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