Supreme Court Refuses Case Transfer in Cash-for-Vote Scandal Involving Telangana CM Revanth Reddy

The Supreme Court has declined to transfer the 2015 cash-for-vote case, featuring Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, from Telangana to Bhopal. The court directed Reddy not to interfere with the prosecution and emphasized that all constitutional bodies should show mutual respect for each other's functions.

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to transfer the trial in the 2015 cash-for-vote case, involving Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and others, from Telangana to Bhopal.

The apex court directed Reddy not to interfere in any way with the functioning of the prosecution in the case.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan directed that the Director General of the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) would not report to the Telangana CM with regard to the prosecution of the case.

The counsel appearing for Reddy told the court that the plea seeking transfer of the trial in the case was filed with a ''political motive''.

The court, which had earlier voiced strong displeasure over Reddy's comments on the top court granting bail to rival Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha in cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, emphasized that all three branches of the Constitution should respect each other's functions.

The bench noted an affidavit filed by Reddy, who apologized to the court, and stated it did not wish to proceed further on the matter.

''Although we do not wish to proceed further in the matter, we caution all constitutional functionaries—the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary—to discharge their duties as outlined by the Constitution,'' the bench said.

The court highlighted that while fair criticism of verdicts is welcome, individuals should not cross the line.

The apex court passed the order in response to a plea filed by BRS MLA Guntakandla Jagadish Reddy and three others seeking to transfer the trial from Telangana to Bhopal. On May 31, 2015, Revanth Reddy, then with the Telugu Desam Party, was apprehended by the 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.

Apart from Revanth Reddy, the ACB had arrested several others who were later granted bail.

(With inputs from agencies.)