A sensational case has gripped Telangana with allegations of people being ‘kidnapped’ from the upscale South Avenue in New Delhi from the residence of an ex-Member of Parliament and counter statements by the Cyberabad police of a plot to kill a state minister.
Eight members of a gang which allegedly conspired to kill Telangana Tourism Minister V Srinivas Goud have been arrested, police said on Wednesday, March 2. Three of the accused were picked up from Delhi from the residence of senior BJP leader and former Mahabubnagar MP, AP Jithender Reddy, they said.
According to police, Reddy's driver and personal assistant had arranged shelter for the accused in Delhi. "The gang members conspired to kill (Telangana) Minister V Srinivas Goud," Cyberabad Police Commissioner M Stephen Raveendra told reporters at a press meet on Wednesday evening. Here’s what has happened in the case so far.
The first development in the case came to light when Jithender Reddy filed a complaint with the South Avenue police station in Delhi, that four people, staying at his residence at Flat No 105, were taken away by some unknown persons. The MP said that three of them were guests of the former parliamentarian and the fourth person, identified as Tilak Thapa, was his driver. Another was identified as Munnur Ravi, an activist who was prominent during the Telangana agitation for separate statehood. Both Jithender Reddy and Munnur Ravi were with TRS earlier.
Before the alleged kidnapping, some people who are said to have filed cases against Minister Goud reportedly went ‘missing’ from Mahabubnagar over the last week. This triggered speculation that the ‘kidnapping’ in Delhi could also be linked to the same case. The people who went missing, have now been named as the accused in the conspiracy to murder case. The ex-MP also shared CCTV visuals of the incident, which showed a group of unidentified men arriving in two vehicles, and forcing a few people to enter into a car before leaving the area.
Shocking incident at my residence in Delhi. My personal driver Shri Thapa and social activist Shri Ravi Munnur were kidnapped last night. I have filed a complaint with the concerned police department. Hoping for quick action and speedy justice. @DelhiPolice pic.twitter.com/HdWDHhR1Qb
— AP Jithender Reddy (@apjithender) March 1, 2022
However, within hours, the Telangana police confirmed that the people in Delhi were not kidnapped but detained in connection with a case. According to the police, their preliminary investigation had established that certain associates of Jithender Reddy, had planned to murder Minister Srinivasa Goud and were willing to pay Rs 15 crore for it. They had also approached a contract killer for executing the plan. However, the contract killer is said to have revealed the plan to his friend. But Reddy's associates learnt about this and they conspired to kill the criminal and his friend on February 25, police said. Both of them however, managed to escape and lodged a complaint with police. Following this, the police said that they had launched an in-depth probe and the role of Jithender Reddy and former state minister DK Aruna and others, will be verified as part of the probe, Cyberabad Police Commissioner M Stephen Raveendra said.
When reporters asked what the motive could be to kill the minister, CP Stephen Raveendra said “We will clarify the doubts once we take the accused into police custody and we will place the whole conspiracy after we establish it.” The Commissioner further said that the case and arrests were made based on the prima facie, technical and scientific evidence along with recovery of weapons. The official said they recovered a pistol and six rounds from the possession of the accused, which were said to be procured from Uttar Pradesh.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders who have been named by the police have refuted the allegations. Jithender Reddy, in a release, said he will approach the High Court against this "false" case which he said was politically motivated. DK Aruna who is now the BJP National Vice President, responding to the allegations, said that a “cinema” of conspiracy was taking place under the direction of Chief Minister (CM) K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR). She said that the alleged conspiracy to kill the minister was raised as part of “political vendetta”. “Following the press meet of CP Stephen Raveendra, everyone understood that the case and arrests were made after weaving stories of conspiracy and efforts are being made to link the accused with people like us,” she said.
Many people have also raised concerns that all those who have been detained by the police had raised allegations and filed complaints against Minister V Srinivas Goud on charges of land irregularities and tampering with his election affidavit.
Speaking to TNM, DK Aruna too, echoed the same sentiment. “Why should we fear just because we have been named when we have done nothing wrong? I have been dragged into this because I am among those who questioned the CM. The people who have been arrested have been trying to expose Srinivas Goud. They had approached us as we were in the Opposition. We will meet (BJP chief) JP Nadda and (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah and explain all that is transpiring here. We will ask for an inquiry into this conspiracy,” she said.
