The Telangana High Court on Thursday granted bail to three accused on certain conditions in connection with the alleged Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MLA poaching case.
Bail was granted on the condition of an Rs 3 lakh security deposit with two sureties. The accused will have to appear before the Special Investigations Team (SIT) every Monday. Last month, on 24 November, the Supreme Court set aside the Telangana High Court order, which issued various directions to the SIT to proceed with the investigation in the alleged TRS MLA poaching case and not report before any authority, be it political or executive.
The Telangana High Court issued various directions on 15 November, including that the SIT submit its first report in a sealed cover before the Single Judge of the High Court about the progress of the investigation.
Earlier on 29 October, the Telangana High Court had ordered the three accused in the MLA poaching case to surrender before the police for further investigation.
HC’s order came after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court had rejected the remand request of the three accused in the case. Cyberabad Police had moved to the HC, challenging the ACB court order.
The three suspects, Ramachandra Bharati alias Satish Sharma, Nanda Kumar, and Simhayaji Swamyat, were apprehended from a farmhouse in Ranga Reddy district on Wednesday evening after being informed by TRS MLAs about the alleged BJP poaching attempt.
Police released all three accused in the TRS MLA poaching case following orders from the ACB court.
Notably, TRS has alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is attempting to poach the MLAs by luring them with money and contracts.
Following a complaint by TRS MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy on Wednesday, an FIR was registered at the Moinabad Police Station under Sections 120-B, 171-B r/w 171-E, 506 r/w 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act (1988).
In the FIR, Reddy alleged that Ramachandra Bharati, who came to Hyderabad from Delhi, and Nanda Kumar of Hyderabad, both belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party, had met him and offered him Rs 100 crore to join the BJP.
According to the FIR, MLA Rohith Reddy claims that he was threatened with criminal charges and raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) if he did not join the BJP.
Meanwhile, the BJP has moved to the Telangana High Court, seeking a CBI probe into the allegations.
Moreover, Union Minister and BJP leader G Kishan Reddy refuted the TRS MLAs’ poaching allegations, said it shows the fear the TRS is looming under.
