As if to put an end to speculations that Anti-Corruption Bureau of Telangana State had put the “Cash-for-Vote” case involving TDP leaders on the back burner, the summoning of one of the accused in the sensational case caused flutter in political circles.
The ACB has issued a notice to Jerusalem Mathaiah, Accused No. 4 in the case, directing him to appear before the investigating officers within one week to depose in connection with the case in which TDP MLA A. Revanth Reddy is the principal accused. Abiding by an High Court order restraining arrest of Mathaiah, the ACB authorities only summoned him for deposition along with his lawyer.
Since Mathaiah was not available at his residence at Uppal here, the authorities pasted the notice on the door in accordance with Section 130 CrPC. The sudden move of the ACB authorities in reopening the case has taken political circles aback at a time when rumors were agog about the possible arrest of TDP’s Jubilee Hills MLA Maganti Gopinath in the affair. It was alleged that the TRS was blackmailing the few MLAs still remaining with the TDP to defect.
Thus even as the arrest of Maganti Gopinath, who is also the Greater Hyderabad TDP Chief, imminent in connection with the “Cash-for-Vote” scam was in circulation, the notices issued to Mathaiah another accused in the case has taken everyone by surprise.
It may be mentioned here that during the MLC elections from the MLAs Quota last year, the TDP was accused of desperately trying to ensure victory of its nominee by offering huge cash. As part of the game plan, TDP MLA Revanth Reddy had called on Anglo-Indian nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson and allegedly offered him Rs 50 lakh cash. He was caught red-handed in the process. He was arrested and sent to jail where he stayed for nearly a month before securing bail.
The episode triggered off a bitter political war between the two Telugu States and the leaders of both TRS and TDP indulged in washing dirty linen openly. So much so, the war of words had reached the doorsteps of even the Governor and also the Union Home Ministry. While the TRS Government stepped up probe in the Cash-for-Vote scam by even trying to implicate Chandrababu Naidu in the affair, the TDP government, on the other hand, tried to drag the TRS into an alleged phone tapping affair.
While the two Telugu twin States coming to loggerheads attained nation-wide attention, the issue suddenly became like a flash in the pan what with the investigation going on at a snail’s pace. The sudden volte face was the consequence of a sudden bon-homie between KCR and Chandrababu Naidu. This gave rise to speculations that the Cash-for-Vote scam was being given a silent burial. However, the serving of notice to Jerusalem Mathaiah once again made political tongues wagging. (NSS).
ACB probe in “Cash-for-Vote” scam surfaces again
