HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu sighed in relief after the Hyderabad High Court dismissed a complaint filed by YSR Congress lawmakers seeking investigation into his alleged role in the cash-for-vote case. The court allowed Naidu's plea seeking relief and dismissed the complaint filed by Ramakrishna Reddy on the ground that the latter had no locus standi to file such an application.
The lawmaker's counsel P Sudhakar Reddy said he had filed a private complaint in an ACB court making Naidu an accused in the cash-for-vote issue. The court had ordered probe by ACB over alleged involvement of Naidu who sought relief in the high court. The CM had got a temporary relief in the HC which was challenged by a lawmaker in the Supreme Court, which referred it to the High Court. The lawmaker's counsel said they would pursue legal options against Naidu. The so-called cash-for-vote pertains to allegations against TDP lawmaker Revant Reddy and others that they tried to bribe a nominated lawmaker in MLC polls. Naidu had accused the TRS Government in Telangana of illegally tapping phones.
In May 2015, nominated lawmaker in Telangana Assembly Elvis Stephenson lodged a complaint alleging that he was offered £500,000 by TDP lawmaker Revanth Reddy to vote for TDP nominee in the election to the Telangana Legislative Council on June 1. On May 31, ACB arrested Revanth Reddy, Bishop Sebastian Harry and Rudra Udaya Simha when they were allegedly handing over an advance sum of Rs 5000,000 to Stephenson. A charge sheet filed by the ACB mentioned Naidu's name, but not as an accused.
