BJP petitions HC for fair probe into alleged ‘money for defection’ case

HYDERABAD: The state BJP approached the Telangana High Court on Thursday, seeking a fair probe into the alleged poaching case of four TRS MLAs by three persons who were projected as BJP activists by the police. The petition is to come up on Friday.

In his petition, the party’s state general secretary Gujjula Premendar Reddy urged the court to call for a commission of enquiry by a sitting judge of the High Court or a special investigation team that did not have any government interference.

He said that there was a need to unravel the facts and motives revolving around the alleged poaching case at the Aziznagar farmhouse that was also telecast on Wednesday.

“With the sole intention of maligning the image of the BJP and brand its leaders as villains, and the active support of the Cyberabad police commissioner, the complainant approached the Moinabad police station alleging that three BJP persons had tried to lure TRS MLAs,” Premender Reddy mentioned in the petition.

Premendar Reddy wanted to know how the police officials were ascertaining that each MLA was being paid Rs 100 crore by the BJP as a reward for defection.

He said that the court, under Article 226 of the Constitution, can exercise its extraordinary and plenary powers and direct that a case be enquired by a neutral agency where it becomes necessary to provide credibility and instill confidence in investigations.

The principal secretary (home), DGP, Cyberabad police commissioner, ACP Rajendranagar, Union home secretary, CBI and Pilot Rohit Reddy, the Tandur MLA from TRS are the respondents in the writ petition, which is to come up for hearing on Friday.