TDP MLA Revnath Reddy appears before court in the cash for vote case

ACB court, had summoned Revanth Reddy and two others Bishop Sebastian Harry and Rudra Uday Simha in the case

Telangana TDP MLA A Revanth Reddy and another accused in the cash-for-vote case on Thursday appeared before an Anti-Corruption Bureau court here.

The ACB court, had last month after taking cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the Telangana ACB had summoned Revanth Reddy and two others Bishop Sebastian Harry and Rudra Uday Simha, seeking their appearance in the case on Thursday.

Accordingly, Reddy and Uday Simha appeared before the court after which the matter was posted for October 24. Sebastian skipped the appearance.

The ACB, in July last year filed the chargesheet against Revanth Reddy, Bishop Sebastian Harry, Uday Simha and Mathaiah Jerusalem under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC.

The Hyderabad High Court had quashed the FIR against Mathaiah later after he moved the court in this regard. The matter is now with the Supreme Court.

In May last year, Telangana nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson had lodged a complaint with ACB alleging that he was offered Rs 5 crore by Revanth Reddy to vote in favour of a Telugu Desam MLC nominee in Telangana Legislative Council polls held on June 1.

Stephenson represents Anglo-Indian community in Telangana Legislative Assembly. A case was subsequently registered, and on May 31, the ACB arrested Revanth Reddy along with two others Bishop Sebastian Harry and Rudra Udaya Simha while they were allegedly handing over an advance of Rs 50 lakh to Stephenson.

TDP MLA Sandra Venkata Veeraiah was also arrested in the case later. All of them were subsequently granted bail.