Hyderabad: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up to look into the alleged poaching of TRS MLAs by the state government stated that they were in no way responsible for leaking the video evidence involving the accused.
In a press note authorised by City Commissioner CV Anand, the SIT stated that they were aware of video evidence against the accused being telecasted on a Telugu news channel.
The SIT noted that they sent the video evidence to the senior counsel who in turn sent it to all the advocates representing the seven accused/ plaintiffs in this case. Copies of the evidence were made at the request of the accused’s advocates.
Background of the case:
Ahead of the November 3 by-poll for the Munugode assembly constituency, the Cyberabad police, on October 26, arrested three individuals from a farmhouse who had allegedly travelled to Hyderabad to induce four TRS MLAs (including Rohit Reddy) to join the saffron party in exchange for Rs 100 crore.
Ramachandra Bharati aka Satish Sharma, a priest from Faridabad in Haryana, Simhayaji, of Srimanatha Raja Peetham in Tirupati and Nandakumar a resident of Hyderabad were arrested.
Later, the SIT added the names of BJP leader BL Santhosh and two persons from Kerala–Jaggu Swami and Tushar Vellapally, besides B Srinivas, as accused in the case.
The SIT in question was set up after Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MLA from Tandur, Rohit Reddy submitted a written complaint at the Moinabad police station on Wednesday.
IPS officer Rema Rajeshwari, DCP crimes officer Kalmeshwar Shingenavar, DCP Shamshabad Jagadishwar Reddy, SP Narayanpet N Venkateshwarulu, ACP B Gangadhar, Moinabad station house officer (SHO) Laxmi Reddy will be part of the SIT.
Based on the complaint given by Rohit Reddy, a case has been booked under Sections 120-B (Criminal conspiracy), 171-B (Bribery) read with 171-E (Punishment for bribery). Section 506 (Criminal intimidation) read with Section 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
