Relief for AP CM Naidu, Hyderabad HC stays probe on 'cash for vote' case

Chandrababu Naidu in his petition claimed that the YSRC MLA’s fresh complaint was ‘political vendetta’.

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Friday granted respite to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu by granting stay on an order passed by the Principal Special Judge for Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) cases in cash for vote scam, which had called for a thorough investigation into the fresh complaint filed by YSR Congress MLA A Ramakrishna Reddy.

Justice Raja Elango while dealing with the petition moved by the Chief Minister seeking to quash an order passed by the Principal Special Judge for Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) cases granted the interim stay.

Read: Cash-for-vote scam: Court asks cops to probe AP CM's alleged role

Naidu in his petition contended that complaint was filed against him by the MLA who belongs to the Opposition with the intent of political vendetta. He argued that the MLA had no connection with the crime and that he is neither the informant nor a witness to the crime and thus has no locus standi in the case.

He brought to the notice of the court that the MLA filed the complaint before ACB court after completion of investigation and filing of charge sheet by the ACB.

Ramakrishna Reddy had appended reports from forensic labs in Mumbai and London which he said had confirmed that the voice recorded in the conversations was that of Naidu.

Based on this, the YSRC MLA had urged the court to make Naidu the key accused in the case and investigate his role as abettor and perpetrator.

The Telangana ACB on May 31, 2015, had arrested TD MLA A. Revanth Reddy and a few others in Hyderabad. They were accused of trying to bribe nominated Anglo-Indian MLA Elvis Stephenson Rs 5 crore so as to make him vote for the TD candidate in the MLC elections. (This article first appeared in Deccan Chronicle)