SC issues notice on plea seeking transfer of criminal case against CM Reddy outside Telangana

New Delhi, Feb 9: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine a plea seeking transfer of a criminal case against Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy from Hyderabad to either Madhya Pradesh or Chhattisgarh.

Issuing a notice on the transfer petition, a Bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta sought the response of CM Revanth Reddy and others within four weeks.

The matter is likely to be taken up for further hearing on March 11.

As per the transfer plea filed under Section 406 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), Revanth Reddy and other accused were caught red handed by Hyderabad’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) when they offered a bribe of Rs. 50 lakh as advance to Elvis Stephenson to abstain from casting his vote for the June 2015 biennial election or vote in favour of the TDP.

“The Accused No.1 (Revanth Reddy) is the prime Accused in Crime No. 11/ACB- City Range-I/Hyd/2015 and is the present Chief and Home Minister for the State of Telangana and the Directorate of Prosecution of Anti- Corruption Bureau is answerable and directly under the control of Accused No.1,” the plea said.

It added that Revanth Reddy can directly influence the de facto complainant and officers by pressurising them to defer or resile from their earlier statements.

It added that there is every possibility that the officers and de facto complainant will depose falsely under threat.

The petition said that there cannot be a free and fair trial in the case at Hyderabad or any other court in Telangana and no prejudice will be caused to respondents-accused if the trial is transferred to District and Sessions Judge in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal.