Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy on Wednesday said that the party will challenge the order passed by the Telangana High Court to transfer the MLA poaching case to CBI will be challenged in Supreme Court or an appellant court.
Speaking to ANI, Reddy said, "Yesterday the High Court transferred the investigation from SIT to CBI. The accused in their appeal have asked for a special investigation team investigation or CBI inquiry. When the government has formed a special investigation team, ignoring them and transferring the case to CBI is not the right thing. Once we see the copy of the order we will decide whether we are going to the appealing authority or the Supreme Court."
Detailing the entire MLA poaching case, Reddy said that he was summoned by the ED in the matter in which he was asked only personal details and nothing related to the case.
"If you look into what was exactly happening in this entire episode of the MLA poaching case. When ED summoned me to appear before them, it was purely asking me for my personal details, my family details, my business affairs and details related to my associates. There was nothing mentioned about any crime or money laundering instance. But as a law-abiding citizen, I wanted to cooperate. Even not knowing what this inquiry is about, I went to them and cooperated with the investigation," he said.
"On day 1, they investigated me for almost six hours but did not tell me any case-related information. They gave me my election affidavit and were questioning me on it. On day 2, they enquired me for almost eight and a half hours. It's my fundamental right to know on what basis they are enquiring me. So after an hour of my insisting, they say that it is regarding the Moinabad farmers incident which happened regarding the MLA poaching case," the BRS leader added.
He further said that the ED has no role to play in the case as there was no money laundering.
"I have given all the details that they have asked for. The PMLA, clearly says there when there is no money laundering when there are no proceeds of crime recovered from that offence. ED has no role to play. But still, BJP is misusing such kind of central government agency. This is not right. So, that's why we challenged it in court today and the matter has been posted till January 5 of next year. Today, the ED was not able to answer any questions asked in the court," he said.
Reacting to the BJP allegation that the entire case is a "creating of KCR", Reddy said that his party already has a majority in the Assembly and does not need to resort to such tactics.
"Today BRS doesn't really require to do that. If you see in this state out of the 119 seats we already have 105 MLAs and a high majority. We do not need to do such kinds of drama. Everything is evident here. In the evidence produced in the court and shown in public, it is evident that these Swamijis were representing the BJP, their offer and threats. Now to cover up everything and divert things, they are unnecessarily talking all this rubbish. There is no truth in this," he alleged.
"The BJP people in the initial stages were denying any connection with this Swamiji in front of the media. Several BJP leaders were claiming that they don't have any connection with this Swamiji. But BJP itself has filed case by case and taking stage by stage and literally they are giving the vertical shield to this accusation which is clearly evident. The people of Telangana today understand what is exactly happening," Reddy added.
Earlier, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy welcomed the decision of the Telangana High Court to transfer the MLA poaching case to the CBI while also disbanding the Special Investigation Team set up by the state government to conduct the probe.
The Union Minister said that the decision is a "slap in the face of the KCR government".
"I hereby welcome the judgement of the Hon'ble Highcourt in a fake case of MLAs' purchase. The Judgement of Hon'ble High Court quashing the very constitution of SIT in the fabricated 'MLAs' purchase case' is a slap in the face of KCR government," he said.
Reddy said that the court's order is a vindication of the BJP's stance that the case is fabricated with no substance to it.
"The High Court is categorical in nailing the lies of KCR. The judgement vindicates the stance of BJP that the whole episode is the creation of KCR who is feeling frustrated with the fact that the people are furious with his dynastic rule," he said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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