Cash-for-vote scandal, which had created political turmoil in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, on Tuesday took a new turn with Hyderabad High Court granting conditional bail to the prime accused Telugu Desam Party MlA A Revanth Reddy.
The court rejected the plea of the Anti-Corruption Bureau against granting him the bail on the grounds that the release of the accused may lead to tampering of the evidence.
Justice Raja Elango also granted bail to the other two accused Harry Sebastian and Uday Simha.
Court asked Revanth Reddy and his two aides to furnish a personal bond of `5 lakh each and two personal sureties of the like amount each.
The other conditions imposed on Revanth Reddy include surrendering his passport to the court, not going outside Hyderabad or his constituency Kodangla in Mahbubnagar district, not making any public comments on the case and appearing before ACB for questioning whenever asked.
Revanth Reddy, the deputy leader of the Telugu Desam Party in Telangana State Assembly, and his two associates were arrested by Telangana ACB on May 31 when they allegedly tried to pay a bribe of `50 lakhs to a nominated MlA Elvis Stephenson to secure his vote for the TDP candidate in legislative Council elections. ACB had laid a trap after Stephenson lodged a complaint that the TDP leaders were trying to lure him by offering him a bribe of `5 crore. ACB said that the nominated MlA was promised the remaining amount after the polling.
In its last ditch effort to prevent Revanth Reddy’s release on bail, the ACB on Tuesday filed another affidavit opposing the bail. Arguing on behalf of the ACB, Telangana Advocate General Ramakrishna Reddy said the accused was powerful enough to tamper with the proof if they were set free. He said that ACB was yet to find out that sources of the money used for bribing the MlA.
After hearing the arguments of both the sides Justice Elango ordered the release of the accused on conditional bail. As the news spread, TDP workers and supporters of Revanth Reddy broke into celebrations by distributing sweets and bursting crackers.
A large number of supporters gathered at the Charalapally Central jail shouting slogans in support of Revanth Reddy.
Meanwhile, Anti-Corruption Bureau was planning to challenge the High Court orders in the Supreme Court. ACB Director General AK Khan met the ailing Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and briefed him about the High Court order and the next plan of action. ACB additional director Ramachandra Rao said that the petitioned will be filed in the Supreme Court after getting the copy of the full judgement.