SC to take up trial of cash-for-vote case today

The Supreme Court will hear the sensational cash-for-vote case on Thursday. YSRCP MLA from Mangalagiri Alla Ramakrishna Reddy has filed a petition to include TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu as an accused in the case and hand over the investigation to the CBI. Chandrababu’s advocate Siddhartha Luthra sought adjournment in the previous hearing. The Bench of Justice Sundaresh and Justice SVN Bhatti will conduct the trial.
During the Telangana MLC elections in 2015, Chandrababu offered money to MLCs to vote in favour of TDP. Chandrababu allegedly tempted MLC Elvis Stephenson to vote for the TDP candidate. The Telangana ACB released the audio of their conversation on the phone. Forensics confirmed that the voice was Chandrababu’s.
Subsequently, Mangaliagiri MLA Ramakrishna Reddy filed a petition that the CBI should investigate this case. The MLA said that he had filed a petition to include Chandrababu as an accused in the case and mentioned in the petition that the investigation should also be handed over to the CBI. The incident happened in 2015, and RK filed a case in the Supreme Court in 2017. During the past five months, the case was adjourned for petty reasons. The case will be taken for trial on Thursday.
MLA Ramakrishna said that delaying the trial of a case despite all the evidence sends wrong signals.