Cash for vote scam: KCR states that Chandrababu cannot escape from Law

Denying that the Telangana government has tapped anybody's phone, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao Wednesday said that his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu can't escape from law in a cash-for-vote scam.

"I am not a police constable to arrest criminals. It's for Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to take action as it is investigating the case," he told reporters on Wednesday night.

Saying that Naidu was caught 'red-handed' while talking to nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson, he said law would take its own course against the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Chief. KCR, as the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president is popularly known, pointed out that many including former BJP president Bangaru Laxman had to go to jail in corruption cases.

The Chief Minister was addressing the media minutes after Naidu spoke to reporters in New Delhi following his meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and central ministers to demand a probe into phone-tapping. KCR said Naidu was making the allegations of phone-tapping to divert the public attention from the main issue.

"Mr Naidu should clarify whether the voice (on audio tape) is his voice or not, whether he spoke to Stephenson or not and whether his party MLA has given money or not. He should come clean," KCR said.

He added that the ACB initiated action following a complaint by Stephenson and caught TDP MLA Revanth Reddy red-handed while giving Rs.50 lakh. "These things (audio tape of Naidu's conversation with Stephenson) came out when ACB retrieved the call data," he said.

KCR said more information like from where the money was drawn and who is behind it will come out soon. He reacted sharply to Naidu's threat during an interview to a television channel that if KCR tried to arrest him, his government will fall, the TRS chief said this proved his arrogance and the conspiracies he had been indulging in against Telangana.

"I don't think the Modi government will support this treachery, onslaught and worst form of corruption," the chief minister said when asked to comment on Naidu's demand for probe.

On Naidu's demand that the Centre should ensure implementation of section 8 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act relating to powers of the governor in Hyderabad, KCR reminded him that ACB does not come under the purview of this Act. The Telangana CM said he can't keep quiet when somebody from another state comes and tries to buy MLAs of the ruling party.

He also told Naidu that Hyderabad is only a facilitating capital for a period not exceeding 10 years. "You are only a guest chief minister in Hyderabad. You don't have jurisdiction over Hyderabad. Your DGP can act only in his territory that is Andhra Pradesh," KCR said on Naidu's threats that he also has powers and police in Hyderabad and that they can also book cases.