ACB moves apex court; hearing likely today

The investigating agency, in its appeal, justifies the need for dismissing the bail order

BAIL TO REVANTH

Hyderabad: The Telangana Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday filed an appeal in the Supreme Court pleading for quashing the bail granted by the High Court of Hyderabad to A Revanth Reddy and two other accused in the infamous ‘cash-for-vote’ scandal.

Consequent to the bail granted by the High Court, TDP MLA Revanth Reddy, Harry Sebastian and Uday Simha, all accused in the scam and arrested on May 31 walked out of the Cherlapalli Central Jail on Wednesday.

The ACB, in its appeal to the apex court, justified the need for dismissing the bail order of the lower court saying that the investigations in the scandal were still in progress and had reached a crucial stage.

Revanth Reddy was caught red-handed while offering bribe to nominated Anglo-Indian MLA Elvis Stephenson and the audio and video recordings were clinching evidences secured during the probe; The Forensic Science Laboratory had also submitted a report in this regard and it had to be studied, the ACB explained in its appeal.

While stating that another accused Sattupally MLA S Venkata Veeraiah was evading arrest, the ACB brought to the notice of the Supreme Court utterances of Revanth Reddy during a rally after his release from jail and contended that it had amply proved that the accused could tamper with evidences and influence the witnesses with threats.

The apex court is likely to take up the hearing of the appeal petition in the case on Friday. Meanwhile, the Sattupalli MLA who has been allegedly evading arrest, appeared in Khammam to attend a meeting on Thursday where he reiterated that he would be always available in Khammam and would depose before the investigating authorities whenever called.