On Wednesday, 4 January, the Telangana government filed writ appeals in the high court challenging the decision of a single judge to transfer the “Cash for MLAs” case to the CBI.
The previous investigation into the case of alleged attempt to poach BRS MLAs was being conducted by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the state government.
The matter will come up before the division bench of the high court — headed by the chief justice — on Thursday.
A single judge of the high court on 26 December, 2022, ordered transfer of the investigation from the SIT to the CBI.
The high court also quashed the government order to constitute the SIT and the investigation carried out by it thus far. This also includes the probe done by an Assistant Commissioner of Police in the initial stage.
The case thus far
Three people — Ramachandra Bharathi alias Satish Sharma, Hyderabad hotelier Nanda Kumar Kore, and Simhayaji Swamy of Tirupati — were already named as accused (A1 to A3) in the case.
The case began after a complaint was lodged against the accused by BRS MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy, among four other legislators, on 26 October, 2022.
The trio was arrested for allegedly trying to lure (with money) four MLAs of the ruling BRS party to join the BJP. Subsequently, they were granted bail by the high court.
Rohith Reddy alleged that the accused offered him ₹100 crore and, in return, he had to leave the BRS party and contest as a BJP candidate in the next Assembly election, as mentioned in the FIR filed.
The FIR also stated that the accused had allegedly asked Rohith Reddy to bring more BRS MLAs by offering ₹50 crore each to join the BJP.
Also Read: Congress wants to be part of Cash for MLAs case in Telangana HC
The Telangana government on 9 November ordered the setting up of a seven-member SIT to probe into the alleged attempt to poach the MLAs.
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