The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday moved the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of the bail granted to TDP MLA A Revanth Reddy, prime accused in the cash-for-vote scam and two others, by the Hyderabad High Court. Simultaneously, the Cyberabad police slapped cases against Revanth and other TDP leaders for taking out a rally without permission after the tainted legislator’s release from the Cherlapally jail on Wednesday.
In its petition before the apex court, the ACB questioned the high court’s verdict and submitted that investigation in the case was at a crucial stage as the final report of the forensic science laboratory on the audio and video evidence was still awaited. It expressed the fear that Revanth and co-accused Harry Sebastian and Uday Simha may tamper with the evidence and influence witnesses. The petition is likely to come up for hearing on Friday. The State government has engaged the services of senior advocate Harish N Salve for the legal battle in the apex court.
The ACB, sources said, may cite Revanth’s Wednesday rally and his explosive speech to buttress its argument that he cannot be granted bail. Earlier in the day, ACB director general AK Khan called on the Chief Minister and briefed him on the probe status. In a related development, in what could spell more trouble for Revanth, the police registered cases against him and others under Sections 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the IPC, Section 22 of the City Police Act, Sections 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and Section 22 (e) of the CP Act.
TDP MLAs Maganti Gopinath, Gandhi Arikapudi, K Vivekananda Goud and Malkajgiri MP Malla Reddy, TTDP leaders K Ramulu, Kothakota Dayakar Reddy, Vem Narender Reddy, Pratap Reddy and others also figure in the cases.
Source: The New Indian Express