TRS MLA booked for bid to bribe voters

A case was registered against a TRS MLA in the dissolved Telangana assembly Thursday in connection with his alleged offer of cash to vote for him and the party in the coming elections, police said.

The case against E Ravinder Reddy, also the party candidate in Yellareddy constituency, was registered under the Indian Penal Code section 171E (punishment for bribery) after a local Congress leader lodged a complaint with the Election Commission.

The action came days after a video purportedly showing Reddy offering Rs 5 lakh to a group of women if they passed resolutions to vote for the TRS and elect him unanimously in the assembly elections went viral in the social media.

Police registered the FIR against the MLA, who won from Yellareddy seat in 2014, after obtaining permission from a local court based on a complaint by a revenue official, Kamareddy District Superintendent of Police N Swetha told PTI.

This is the first election related case in poll-bound Telangana where the Model Code of Conduct has come into force after the ruling TRS opted for premature dissolution of the assembly early last month.

In the video, Reddy during an interaction in Markal village on September 26, was purportedly heard saying he will provide money to members of women self-help groups and a group of villagers and asking them to form groups, conduct meetings and vote for the TRS and him.

A woman was also heard saying this amount was small, to which a follower of the MLA says it is "initial amount".

Acting on the complaint by the Congress leader, the Returning Officer conducted an enquiry and submitted a report to the Telangana Chief Electoral Officer, who directed officials to initiate prosecution of Reddy.

The CEO had forwarded a copy of the video to the Election Commission, official sources said.