Cash for vote scam: ED files chargesheet against Telangana Cong working president, others

Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday filed a chargesheet against Telangana Congress working president and Lok Sabha MP A Revanth Reddy and others in connection with the cash for vote scam.

The ED has provisionally attached Rs 50 lakh cash offered to Anglo Indian nominated MLA Elvish Stephenson for voting in favour of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) candidate. The offence took place on May 31, 2015. Revanth Reddy was in TDP at the time of the incident, he later joined the Congress and was elected to Lok Sabha from Malkajgiri constituency.

The ED has named Revanth Reddy, TDP ex-MLC Vem Narendar Reddy's son Vem Krishan Keertan Reddy, self-proclaimed Bishop Sebastian, a mediator in the scam, and others in the chargesheet.

The ACB and ED have alleged that the money was supplied by Vem Narendar Reddy's son. However, the agencies failed to get the money trial.

The chargesheet also mentions TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu's name but not as an accused. The two agencies-- the ACB and the ED-- couldn't produce any evidence against Naidu.

Initially, the case was registered by Telangana ACB. The ED has filed a money laundering case based on the ACB FIR and chargesheet against Revanth Reddy and others.

The ACB caught Revanth Reddy red-handed while he was allegedly paying Rs 50 lakhs bribe to Elvis.

It has been alleged that the bribe was offered to vote in favour of TDP candidate Vem Narender Reddy in the Telangana Legislative Council elections that were held on June 1, 2015.

The ED has provisionally attached the seized bribe amount of 50 lakh cash, seized by Telangana ACB under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

According to the investigation agency, the investigation has established that the accused persons committed the scheduled offence as well as the offence of money laundering by dealing with the bribe money which is nothing but proceeds of crime as per the PMLA.

Thus, ED has filed a prosecution complaint against the accused persons with a prayer to hold the trial for the offence of money laundering, the Enforcement Directorate informed.

( With inputs from ANI )

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