Telangana HC transfers Cash for MLAs case to CBI

The course of the litigation in the high court took several turns since the police apprehended three persons in a farmhouse in Moinabad in Hyderabad on 26 October.

They were accused of trying to lure four MLAs of the ruling BRS — then the TRS — into the BJP offering pecuniary benefits to them.

The allegation against the three “emissaries” was that they offered ₹100 crore to one MLA, Pilot Rohit Reddy, and ₹50 crore each to the remaining three MLAs.

Also read: ‘Cash for MLAs’ accused explain how some govts came down

No faith in SIT probe: Accused

The three accused in the case sought a direction from the Telangana High Court for the annulment of the order issued by the state government constituting the SIT to probe the case and instead transfer the case to either the CBI or an independent investigation agency for transparency.

The petitioners — Faridabad priest Ramachandra Bharati, Tirupati pontiff Simhayaji, and Hyderabad hotelier Nandu Kumar — argued that they had no faith in the investigation by the Telangana government’s SIT.

The Telangana government Advocate General BS Prasad maintained that entrusting the investigation of the case to the CBI would serve no purpose.

He submitted to the court that it would be in the fitness of things if the SIT continues its work as the investigation of the case is midway.

Several twists in the case

There have been several twists in the case right from the beginning. After arresting the three accused on 26 October, the police produced them in the ACB court the next day but the court refused to remand them as no money, which the police were referring to, was found at the “crime spot”.

The police then challenged the order in the high court, which overturned it and ordered the ACB court to remand the three accused to judicial custody.

After this development, the accused filed a petition in the high court, seeking a probe by the CBI or an independent agency as they had no faith in the state government’s investigation.

The high court also stayed the investigation by the police into the case and directed them not to take any coercive action against the other suspects in the case.

It lifted the stay on 8 November, and the Telangana government the next day constituted the SIT headed by Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand.

On 14 November, the accused in the case filed a petition in the court challenging the investigation by the SIT. The accused obtained bail on 1 December.