Telangana TDP MLA sent to jail in cash-for-vote scam

A city court here on Monday sent Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA A. Revanth Reddy to a 14-day judicial custody on the charge of trying to bribe a nominated MLA to vote for a TDP-BJP candidate in the election to Telangana Legislative Council.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which arrested Revanth on Sunday night after laying a trap, produced him before a magistrate at his residence.

The magistrate sent him and his two aides to judicial custody but directed the police to allow him to cast vote in the election before shifting him to jail.

The elections to six seats of the council are being held on Monday.

Revanth, a member of Telangana legislative assembly, was arrested on Sunday amid high drama from a flat in Vijayapuri colony in Secunderabad when he was offering Rs.50 lakh to Elvis Stephenson, a nominated member of the assembly representing the Anglo-Indian community.

The ACB officials said the amount was an advance as part of a Rs.5 crore deal to make Stephenson vote for the TDP-BJP candidate. The entire proceeding was recorded on a spy camera.

The ACB sleuths, who had laid the trap, arrested Revanth and two others and seized the cash.

ACB Director General A.K. Khan said they had registered a case two days ago after receiving a written complaint.

The MLA has been booked under Prevention of Corruption Act and under Indian Penal Code.

Revanth Reddy claimed that he is innocent and alleged that he was implicated in a false case by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government as a part of a political conspiracy.

Immediately after his arrest, TDP leaders met Director General of Police Anurag Sharma and lodged their strong protest. They also staged a sit-in till late in the night at the office of ACB, where Revanth was being interrogated.