MLAs' poaching case: CBI may begin probe this week

Hyderabad: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is likely to begin a probe in a day or two into BRS MLAs' poaching attempt case following Telangana High Court order entrusting the investigation to the Central agency.

The top officials of the CBI are expected to take up follow-up action after going through the High Court judgment, copies of which have now been made available to the parties.

The investigating agency is likely to issue an order appointing the investigating officer to probe the sensational case, which caused tremors in the state. After the issuance of such an order, the agency will register a First Information Report (FIR) and take up the investigation.

The FIR by the CBI will be based on the FIR (455/2022) registered by Moinabad police under Cyberabad Police Commissionerate limits after the arrest of three accused while allegedly trying to lure four MLAs of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) with offers of huge money and contracts to make them switch loyalties to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Police had arrested Ramachandra Bharati, Simhayaji and Nanda Kumar from a farmhouse at Moinabad when they were meeting the BRS MLAs. The raid was conducted on a tip-off by one of the BRS MLAs Pilot Rohit Reddy. He alleged that the accused offered Rs 100 crore to him and Rs50 crore each to three MLAs.

The accused, alleged to be agents of BJP, were subsequently remanded to judicial custody. On November 9, the Telangana government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Hyderabad Police Commissioner C V Anand to probe the case.

The SIT had questioned the accused and had summoned few others including BJP general secretary BL Santosh. The BJP leader, however, obtained a stay from the High Court.

The High Court on December 1 granted bail to the accused. However, Ramachandra Bharati and Nanda Kumar were re-arrested in other cases booked against them.

On petitions filed by the accused, voicing apprehension about fair and unbiased investigation by the SIT, the High Court on December 26 transferred the case to CBI. It also quashed the Government Order constituting the SIT.

However, on the request of the state government, the High Court kept order in suspension till a copy of judgment is available. The same was made available on Wednesday. There is still no clarity if the Telangana government will file an appeal against the order of the single bench.

If the CBI registers a case, it will start the investigation afresh and will not take into account the probe conducted so far by the SIT as the same has been set aside by the High Court.

It will be interesting to see how the Central agency begins its probe. It remains to be seen if it first calls the four BRS MLAs for questioning or summons the accused.