TRS MLA was offered Rs 100 crore to join BJP: Investigation officer

HYDERABAD: Rajendranagar ACP B. Gangadhar, the investigation officer of the case of alleged attempt to bribe TRS MLAs, said that two persons from the BJP, Ramachandra Bharati and Nanda Kumar, had met the complainant, TRS legislator Pilot Rohit Reddy, and offered him Rs 100 crore to join the BJP and contest on its ticket in the next Assembly election.

"The accused also offered to give lucrative Central government civil contracts and high government positions if he joined the BJP. In a veiled threat, the accused warned the MLA of criminal cases and raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) if he did not oblige. They said that the TRS-led government would be toppled by them. However, the legislator decided against indulging in such unethical practice," the ACP said.
On October 26, the accused again contacted Rohit Reddy and informed them that they were coming to his farmhouse in Aziznagar for negotiations. They urged him to mobilise some more TRS MLAs with offers of Rs 50 crore for each of them for joining the BJP.

"The MLAs were asked to discharge their public duties improperly in order to destabilise the state government. Rohit Reddy was informed that Bharati, Nanda Kumar and one Simhayaji Swamy from Tirupati would come to the farmhouse to finalise the deal. The complainant sought legal action against the three and all those behind the conspiracy," the investigation officer said.

Moinabad police registered cases under Section 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 171 B (regarding bribery), read with 171 E (punishment for bribery), 506 (criminal intimidation) read with 34 of IPC and Section 8 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.