KCR to probe ‘best friend’
The case reportedly involves AP CM Naidu
The sensational cashfor-votes scandal of 2015 is back in focus thanks to a sudden development on Monday, when Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao summoned senior Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), police and law department officials to Pragathi Bhavan to review the fate of the case, reportedly involving Telugu Desam chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
The meeting, which lasted nearly five hours, was also attended by retired Indian Police Service officer A.K. Khan, who was heading the ACB when the scandal broke.
Official sources said the ACB has acquired the forensic report positively identifying Mr Naidu’s voice on a taped telephonic conversation with nominated MLC Elvis Stephenson, trying to bribe the MLC to vote for the TD candidate for the MLC elections.
The development is significant given the rift between Modi and Naidu, and the likely bond between KCR and Modi ahead of 2019.
The sensational cash-forvotes scandal of 2015 is back in focus thanks to a sudden development on Monday, when TS Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao summoned senior Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), police and law department officials to Pragathi Bhavan to review the fate of the case, reportedly involving Telugu Desam chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
At the meeting, ACB director general J. Purnachandra Rao reportedly submitted the forensic evidence to Mr KCR, who spoke to legal experts about taking the case forward.
Sources said the meeting was held to finalise the Telangana government’s stand in the Supreme Court as the case is expected to come up for hearing soon, with Jerusalem Mathaiah, one of the accused, writing to the Chief Justice in February saying he is ready to turn approver in the case.
The sudden development assumes significance given the recent rift between Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi and Mr Naidu, and the anticipated bond between Mr KCR and Mr Modi ahead of the 2019 elections.
The development came on a day when Mr Naidu held a meeting with finance officials of a few districts in Amaravati against the Centre diluting the rights of states on tax devolution in the name of the 15th Finance Commission.
Political circles are abuzz with the speculation that Mr KCR is aiming to kill two birds with one stone, and Mr Naidu and TD MLA Revanth Reddy, who joined the Congress recently and who was caught handing over `50 lakh to Elvis Stephenson, will be cornered before 2019 elections.