Home » Politics » Cash For Mlas Acb Court Dismisses Police Memo Adding Names Of Bl Santhosh Jaggu Swamy As Accused

Cash for MLAs: ACB court dismisses police memo adding names of BL Santhosh, Jaggu Swamy as accused

Meanwhile, in Telangana High Court, SIT counsel argued against the plea by the accused to transfer case to the CBI.

Published Dec 06, 2022 | 8:00 PM ⚊UpdatedDec 06, 2022 | 8:00 PM

Cash for MLAs Three accused in ACB court

The three accused in the Cash for MLAs case at the ACB special court. (Screengrab)

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the “Cash for MLAs” case suffered a setback on Tuesday, 6 December, when the special Anti Corruption Bureau court dismissed a memo filed by Moinabad police, adding the names of BJP General Secretary (Organisation) BL Santhosh, Dr Jaggu Kottilil alias Jaggu Swamy of Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Ernakulam, and a Karimnagar-based advocate B Srinivas, as accused in the case.

The police filed the memo on 22 November, adding the three persons as accused in the case. The court, after hearings on the memo, dismissed it.

The Telangana High Court has already stayed the notices issued by SIT to BL Santhosh and Jaggu Swamy under Section 41(A) till 13 December, while barring the police from initiating any coercive action against them.

The ACB court felt it was not proper to list as accused in the case those who were not present at the time of the reported occurrence of the crime. Apart from this, no money was found at the place, the court pointed out.

Meanwhile, the high court heard the arguments on a petition filed by the three accused in the case — Faridabad priest Ramachandra Bharathi, Tirupati’s Simhayaji, and Hyderabad hotelier Nanda Kumar — seeking the transfer of the case to the CBI.

Related: Hubris, desperation led BJP into Cash for MLAs imbroglio

SIT lawyer’s argument

Appearing for the SIT, senior counsel of the Supreme Court Dushyant Dave, said that those who are facing allegations in the case were trying to buy time and delay the investigation by filing cases in the court.

He sought a direction from the high court to BL Santhosh to cooperate with the SIT.

Related: SIT counter in court has WhatsApp chats as evidence

Dave also recalled that even the Supreme Court had refused to stay the investigation by the SIT. He underscored the need for the investigation to move much faster than its present pace.

He held that the petitioners’ demand for transferring the case to the CBI was unreasonable as it was in its preliminary stages of investigation.

Senior lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani, appearing for the petitioners, reiterated the need to transfer the case to the CBI as they had no faith that the SIT would investigate the case impartially.

The high court adjourned the next hearing to Wednesday.