HYDERABAD: The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing the MLAs poaching case, on Friday sought custody of the three accused for 10 more days. However, the ACB court refused to extend the police custody of the trio.
All members of SIT, which is being led by Hyderabad Police Commissioner Chama Vrajendra Anand, descended on Rajendranagar ACP office to grill the three accused — Ramachandra Bharathi, Nanda Kumar and Simhayajulu, on the second day of their two-day police custody. The team tried to find the link between the trio and BJP leaders, whose names they had mentioned, and also the details of source of huge cash with which the accused were trying lure four TRS MLAs.
Not satisfied with their response, the SIT sought extension of police custody of the trio in order to dig deep and collect more evidence. On Friday morning, the three accused were taken to the TS Forensic Science Laboratories in Nampally to collect audio samples. Later, they were shifted to Rajendranagar ACP office, where they were questioned separately by the entire SIT.
It may be mentioned here that on Thursday, they were grilled by Investigation Officer B Gangadhar, who is also the ACP of Rajendranagar.On Friday, the team grilled the accused for over three hours but it was not satisfied with the response they received from the trio.
Then the accused were produced before the ACB court at 5 pm. The SIT immediately requested for another 10-day custody which was rejected by the court. The accused were taken back to Chanchalguda jail. Their bail plea will be heard in the high court on Monday.
BJP firm on CBI probe
Meanwhile, BJP State general secretary G Premender Reddy has reiterated that the saffron party wants a probe by CBI or a sitting Supreme Court judge or by a (SIT supervised by a high court judge.He said that the BJP has appealed to the division bench of the high court as the single-bench couldn’t address the concerns mentioned in their writ petition.
Addressing media on Friday, he rubbished State Finance Minister T Harish Rao’s claim that BJP was guilty of poaching and that’s why it has appealed to the court to stall the investigation of the SIT constituted by the State government.
“We were the first to approach the court seeking a CBI inquiry into the case. When the chief minister held a press meet in Pragathi Bhavan on November 3 and released videos of the alleged poaching, though the matter was sub-judice and the court had directed the State government to stall the investigation till November 4, then itself the case was diluted,” he said.
“Now, the SIT which includes all State police officers will have no other option but to investigate the case on the lines of the chief minister’s claims, and the investigation therefore, will not be unbiased and fair,” he observed.