Hyderabad: The Income-Tax department is learnt to have summoned ‘cash for vote’ case accused Bishop Harry Sebastian and Rudra Uday Simha for questioning on Monday, followed by Congress leader A. Revanth Reddy on Wednesday, turning up the political heat in the Telugu states.
The I-T raids on Mr Revanth Reddy’s residence in the city for two days on suspicion of money laundering and tax evasion are likely to culminate in investigation into the ‘cash for vote’ case in which Telugu Desam chief and AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is also facing allegations.
The I-T department is investigating the source of the Rs 50 lakh that was seized when Mr Revanth Reddy (then with the Telugu Desam) allegedly tried to bribe nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson before the 2015 Telangana Legislative Council elections, and also the source of the total Rs 5 crore bribe that was offered to him.
Speculation is rife that after the I-T investigation, the Enforcement Directorate will spring into action and arrest key people involved in the cash-for-vote case.
The sudden flurry of activity in the ‘cash for vote’ scam, ahead of the Telangana Assembly elections, is politically significant as there were no developments in this case for the past two years. Mr Sebastian and Mr Sinha have been called for questioning before Revanth Reddy so that the sleuths can crosscheck the source of the Rs 5 crore bribe with Revanth Reddy later.
