Telangana ACB intensifies probe into cash-for-vote scam

Telangana's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has issued notice to two Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders, while party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is also likely to be summoned for questioning in the cash-for-vote scam.

The ACB late on Tuesday served notice on TDP legislator Sandra Venkata Veeraiah and another leader, V. Narender Reddy, who was TDP-BJP candidate in Telangana legislative council elections. They were asked to appear before ACB for questioning.

While Narender Reddy on Wednesday morning left for ACB office, Veeraiah, a member of Telangana assembly, said he was yet to receive the notice. For a second consecutive day, Hyderabad witnessed hectic activity relating to the case.

Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Sharma, ACB chief A.K. Khan and Hyderabad Police Commissioner Mahender Reddy on Wednesday met Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Reddy.

The meeting assumed significance as ACB is reportedly gearing up to issue notice to Chandrababu Naidu and two MPs of TDP in the case.

The DGP had also called on the chief minister on Tuesday while Khan met him twice.

TDP MLA A. Revanth Reddy was arrested by the ACB on May 31 while he was offering Rs.50 lakh to nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson to make him vote for Narender Reddy.

In a trap laid on Stephenson's complaint, the ACB also arrested Revanth Reddy's aides Sebastian Harry and Uday Simha.

An audio tape of Chandrababu Naidu's alleged telephonic conversation with Stephenson surfaced on June 7. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government has alleged Naidu is the mastermind of the scam.