Setback For KCR As Telangana HC Transfers BRS MLAs 'Poaching' Case To CBI, Quashes SIT

The seven-member SIT that the Telangana government had established to probe the alleged attempt to poach four MLAs from the ruling party was quashed by the High Court.

The Telangana High Court on Monday handed over the investigation of a case pertaining to alleged attempt to poach BRS MLAs to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), PTI reported. The order comes as a setback for Telangana Chief Minister KCR as the case was presently being probed by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the state police.

The seven-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) that the Telangana government had established to probe the alleged attempt to poach four MLAs from the ruling party was also quashed by the High Court.

The court order came after hearing writ petitions filed by the three accused in the case. The BJP also sought transfer of the case from SIT to any independent agency or the CBI.

The High Court dismissed the BJP's plea on technical grounds. However, the court allowed the petitions of the accused and entrusted the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The petitioners sought investigation into the case by an independent agency citing that a fair probe was part of fundamental rights conferred under Article 21 of the Constitution, PTI reported.

Reacting to the development, BRS social media convenor Krishank, in a  tweet, said, "After BJP's 7 Attempts to handover MLA Poaching Case to CBI, finally its a relief to the hiding mouse, who is now relieved from SIT inquiry".

Three people -- Ramachandra Bharati alias Satish Sharma, Nandu Kumar and Simhayaji Swamy -- have been named as accused in the case after a complaint was lodged by BRS MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy. Reddy was among four legislators who claimed that they were lured to join the BJP.

Recently, the three accused were granted bail by the High Court.

As per the FIR copy, Rohith Reddy alleged that the accused offered him Rs 100 crore and in return the legislator had to leave the ruling BRS and contest as a BJP candidate in the next Assembly election.

They had allegedly asked Reddy to bring more BRS MLAs by offering Rs 50 crore each to join the BJP.

The Telangana government on November 9 ordered the setting up of a seven-member SIT to probe into the alleged attempt to poach the MLAs.

BJP General Secretary BL Santhosh, Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) President Tushar Vellapally and a doctor from Kerala, Jaggu Swamy, lawyers Srinivas and Pratap Goud and Nanda Kumar's wife Chitralekha were summoned by the SIT for questioning.