HYDERABAD: The infamous cash-for-vote case that created political tremor in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh way back in 2015 and was almost forgotten by the people of the two States, has now taken a new turn. Jerusalem Mathai (known as Mathaiah), who was A-4 in the case, on Friday filed a petition in the Supreme Court, saying that he was ready to turn as approver to place all “facts” before the apex court with regard to the case. All eyes are on the future developments with regard to this case as the apex court reportedly agreed to hear his plea and the case is expected to come up for hearing on March 19.
Against the backdrop of high decibel verbal war between TDP and BJP, which are sharing power both at Andhra Pradesh and in Centre, over the implementation of bifurcation promises made to the truncated State, Mathaiah filed an affidavit in the SC, urging it to relieve him from the case of cash-for-vote, by permitting him to reveal all the facts relating to both the cases of cash-for-vote and telephone tapping between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments as well as ruling TDP and ruling TRS in both the States.
“I am getting life threats from the governments in the two States. To hide their mistakes, they are trying to kill me. So, please allow me to reveal all facts of the case,” Mathaiah said in his letter, addressed to the Chief Justice of India. He further pleaded with the CJI to allow him to appear and argue the case as “party in person,” as he was conversant with the case. Mathaiah in his affidavit said he had not met TRS (nominated) MLA in Telangana Assembly, Stephenson, to ask him to resort to cross-voting in the MLC elections in favour of opposition party, TDP, as was alleged by the TS Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) in the cash-for-vote case. “I met the TRS MLA at his residence to discuss some Christian issues. Later, the then TDP MLA A Revanth Reddy and Christian leaders in the TDP such as Sebastian and Jimmi Babu contacted me over phone. After that, I along with Jimmi Babu met Revanth Reddy and AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu,” he stated.
Mathaiah said after seeing his name as A-4 in the case registered by the Telangana ACB over cash-for-vote, he was shocked and had called ACB DSP Ashok Kumar in order to reveal the facts. But, he was not allowed to tell the truth, as the TS ACB officials had tried to extract some thing favourable to their argument with regard to the case.
“I also submitted that when I was kept in unofficial custody of the AP police, I gave a complaint against TS government, TS police, TS Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his son KT Rama Rao for tapping the phones. The AP police warned me that they would kill me, if I fail to obey their orders,” he claimed.
Later, Mathaiah told Express that he had no option, except approaching the SC “as both AP and TS governments” had left him in the lurch. He said till the High Court quashed the case, AP government had come to his rescue during every occasion. “But, after that, AP government stopped responding to my calls. Same is the case with the TS government. The uncertainty about the case and my future is making me spend sleepless nights.” Addressing media, Mathaiah said he had urged the court to order a CBI probe into both cash-for-vote and phone tapping cases.