Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday granted conditional bail to Telugu Desam legislator A. Revanth Reddy and two other accused in the cash-for-vote scam. The ACB of Telangana has decided to move the apex court seeking cancellation of the bail.
Telangana advocate-general K. Ramakrishna Reddy, opposing the bail application, said that Mr Revanth Reddy, prime accused in the case, is a very influential person and if he stays in Hyderabad after getting bail there is every possibility of influencing the witnesses and hampering the ongoing probe. Justice Elango directed that Mr Revanth Reddy shall confine himself to his constituency and not stay in Hyderabad during his bail period.
Justice Raja Elango while allowing the bail petitions of Revanth Reddy, Accused No. 1, Bishop Harry Sebastian, Accused No. 2 and Udayasimha, Accused No. 3, observed that pending reception of forensic sciences experts report and absconding of one of the accused (Jerusalem Mathaiah) are not grounds for the rejection of bail applications. Justice Raja Elango of the Hyderabad High Court opined that nothing more is to be said by the accused in the case and if the bail is granted in this case now no prejudice would cause to further investigation.
TS advocate-general K. Ramakrishna Reddy, opposing the bail application, said that Mr Revanth Reddy, prime accused in the case, is very influential person and if he stays in Hyderabad after enlarging on bail there is every possibility of influencing the witnesses and hampering the ongoing probe by the ACB.
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While considering the argument of the A-G, Justice Elango directed that Mr Revanth Reddy shall confined himself to his constituency and he shall not stay in Hyderabad during his bail period and he appear before the ACB whenever his presence is required for the investigation besides surrendering his passport before the Special ACB Court.
The judge directed that three of the accused shall furnish '15 lakh cash bond along with one surety before the trial court and other two accused also surrender their passports before the trial court. The judge directed that Mr Sebastian and Mr Udayasimha shall report before the Investigation officer of the ACB every day between 10 am and 5 pm.
Meanwhile, After granting the bail, J Ramachandra Rao, additional advocate general of Telangana state said that since the court has refused to consider the arguments of the ACB, it has decided move the special leave petition before the Supreme Court. He said that the prosecution has brought to the notice of the court that the origin of the case cash offered to TRS MLA Elvis Stephenson is yet to establish and one more accused Mathaiah who is suspected to be key abettor in this case is still in absconding and also another TD MLA Sandra Venkata Veeraiah is evading to appear before the ACB.
He said the above grounds were not considered by the High Court and granted the bail. It may be recalled that the Anti Corruption Bureau of Telangana state has arrested Revanth Reddy and two others on May 31 while they were offering Rs 50 lakhs bribe to Elvis Stephenson TRS MLA at his residence to cast his vote in favour of TD MLC candidate V Narendra Reddy. The ACB has video graphed entire episode of attempting to bribe the MLA and also recorded the phone conversations of the persons involved in the matter and sent them for the forensic test. Jerusalem Mathaiah another accused in this case is absconding.
