Hyderabad: M. Ranadeep Reddy, the missing associate of R. Uday Simha, an alleged accused in the cash-for-vote scam, was picked up by the Uppal police from outside a junior college on Monday. The police also found gold, cash and a hard disk in Mr Reddy’s possession. He was allowed to leave after being questioned.
Mr Ranadeep Reddy, however, has given a very different version of events. A financial counsellor at Redefine Plastic and Cosmetics, Ranadeep Reddy, 38, lives in Jayapuri Colony in Nagole.
He is an old friend of Uday Simha, one of the accused in the cash-for-vote scam. Mr Ranadeep Reddy claimed that he was picked up by a group of people on Sunday night. His family members lodged a missing person complaint at the LB Nagar police station on Monday. Income Tax officials said they had not picked up anybody for questioning.
In the wake of the searches conducted by the I-T officials at the house of Uday Simha, who is also a close associate of former MLA A. Revanth Reddy, Ranadeep claimed that he was picked up on the pretext that he might have some information in connection with the raids.
Uppal inspector P. Venkateshwarlu said that a police team headed by sub-inspector M. Anantha Chary while checking vehicles at Little Flower Junior College in Uppal at around 1.30 pm on Monday saw a person standing near the college in suspicious circumstances. The police party checked him and found cash, gold ornaments, a hard disk, and some bank covers in a bag. He was identified as Ranadeep Reddy.
The inspector said, “Ranadeep was taken to the police station for questioning. One gold chain, two necklaces, two ear studs, all weighing 14.14 tolas, Rs 1.94 lakh unaccounted cash, one key that appeared to be of a bank locker, one jute bag, two SBI covers, one hard disk and one Deccan Grameena Bank cover were recovered from him. He could not furnish proper information about the property in his possession.”
Mr Anantha Chary said, “Ranadeep was questioned and given a notice. He was set free on Monday night and asked to give an explanation about the unaccounted property and other material found in his possession within three days.”
Mr Randeep Reddy’s version of events is very different from that of the police.
Speaking to the media, he said, “A group of people claiming to be I-T officials came to my house at around 9.30 pm on Sunday. They searched the house and took a bag. Further, on the pretext of questioning, they took me with them to the task force office in Secund-erabad. They asked me about my association with Mr Uday Simha. He is a close family friend from 2007. The bag contained some gold, cash, hard disk, and a key. About three months ago, Uday gave it to me to keep it safe. Apart from that I know nothing. They gave notice to reply within three days.”
Congress working president Revanth Reddy’s associates Uday Simha, Bishop Harry Sebastian, and also Revanth Reddy’s brother A. Kondal Reddy attended the questioning by I-T officials at Ayakar Bhavan in Basheerbagh on Monday, following the searches of their houses in connection with the cash-for-votes scam.
