“KCR tried to use MLAs poaching case to arm twist BJP over ED case against daughter”

Hyderabad: Former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao allegedly wanted to use the “BRS MLAs” poaching case to force BJP into a compromise to get rid of the ED case against his daughter and MLC K Kavitha, according to the confession statement of a former police official arrested in connection with the phone-tapping case.

As per the confessional statement of former Deputy Commissioner of Police P Radha Kishan Rao, one of the accused in the phone tapping case, ‘Peddayana’–an indirect reference to Bharat Rashtra Samithi chief and former CM K Chandrasekar Rao (KCR)– wanted the arrest of BJP National General Secretary, Organisation, B L Santhosh in connection with the case of alleged attempt to poach his party MLAs.

“A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed and KCR wanted the arrest of senior BJP leader Santhosh to make the case strong so that BJP would come for compromise, and it can be used to get rid of the ED case on his daughter MLC K Kavitha. However, due to inefficiency of some police officials, one important person escaped police apprehension and later the case went to High Court where not to arrest orders were issued and then the SIT case was transferred to CBI,” the confession report said.

According to the confession statement of Radha Kishan Rao, ‘Peddayana’ was very angry for not completing the work as per his expectation.

The former DCP said he would not disclose further details of the case as he owed a lot to ‘Peddayana’, who had re-appointed him two times and posted him in Hyderabad City Task Force after his retirement in 2020.

The former DCP was arrested in March this year, as part of the ongoing investigation in connection with the case of phone-tapping and destroying certain computer systems and official data.

Kavitha was arrested by the ED in March in the money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the now scrapped Delhi excise policy.

The Telangana High Court had earlier transferred the investigation into the case of alleged attempt to poach BRS MLAs, from the SIT formed by the Telangana government to the CBI.

Three people — Ramachandra Bharati alias Satish Sharma, Nandu Kumar and Simhayaji Swamy were named as accused (A1 to A3) in the case after a complaint was lodged by then BRS MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy, among four legislators, against them on October 26, 2022.

The trio was arrested while they were allegedly trying to lure four MLAs of the ruling BRS to join the BJP. Subsequently, they were granted bail by the High Court.

As per the FIR copy, Rohith Reddy alleged the accused offered him Rs 100 crore and in return the legislator had to leave the TRS, now BRS, and contest as a BJP candidate in the subsequent Assembly election.

They had allegedly asked Reddy to bring more BRS MLAs by offering Rs 50 crore each to join the BJP.

When contacted, senior BRS leader and former MP Vinod Kumar said the party denies all the allegations made in the confessional statement.