Cash-for-vote case: Supreme Court notice to Revanth Reddy on plea for trial outside Telangana

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court issued a notice to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and others on Friday in response to a plea seeking the transfer of the criminal trial against him in the 2015 cash-for-vote case from Telangana to Bhopal.

Headed by Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta, the bench listed the plea for hearing after four weeks. Advocate Siddharth Dave, representing the petitioners, argued that due to Revanth Reddy's current position as the Chief Minister while holding the portfolio of Home Minister, they "cannot expect a fair trial" in Telangana.

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The notice was issued on the plea filed by present BRS MLA and former minister Guntakandla Jagadish Reddy and three others seeking the transfer of the case out of Telangana for a free and fair trial to avoid prejudice. The petitioners cited Reddy's 88 pending cases and alleged threats against state police officials as supporting their transfer request.

The plea was filed by Advocate on Record P Mohith Rao.

On May 31, 2015, Revanth Reddy, who was then with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), was apprehended by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) while allegedly paying a Rs 50 lakh bribe to Elvis Stephenson, a nominated MLA, for supporting TDP nominee Vem Narendar Reddy in the Legislative Council elections.

Another petition by Revanth Reddy challenging the June 1, 2021, order of the High Court, which dismissed his plea questioning the jurisdiction of the Special ACB court to conduct the trial in the case, is pending before another bench of the Supreme Court.