MLA poaching case: Telangana High Court transfers case to CBI

The Telangana High Court on Monday transferred the ongoing Bharat Rashtra Samithi (formerly Telangana Rashtra Samithi) MLA poaching case to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) currently probing the case. .The order was passed by Justice B Vijaysen Reddy.With this the SIT constituted to probe the matter was also dissolved by the Court. In November, the Court had after noting that an SIT had already been formed, proceeded to pass directions to ensure that the probe was independent and therefore, had directed that the seven-member special investigation team, should not report to any political or executive authority..The case stems from allegations that the ruling BRS MLAs were approached to defect to the Bharatiya Janata Party. A first information report (FIR) was lodged for criminal conspiracy and other sections under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as well as under section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.It was alleged that on September 6 two out of the three accused persons (Ramachandra Bharati @ Satish Sharma and Nanda Kumar) had met the informant and negotiated with him not to contest as a candidate from the TRS party. Instead, he was asked to resign from TRS and join BJP..The informant further stated that in connection with the same he was offered an amount of ₹100 crores besides certain contract works of the Central Government and was even threatened with dire consequences if he refused.The BJP, however, contended that the entire episode was stage managed with the sole objective of defaming appellant political party.Against this backdrop, it moved the High Court contending that the case registered with the Moinabad Police Station should be entrusted to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for a free and fair investigation..On December 1, the High Court had granted conditional bail to three accused subject to furnishing bail bonds of ₹ 3 lakh each along with two sureties of the same amount.