ACB Probe Into "Note-For-Vote" Scam Surfaces Again

As if to put an end to speculations that the Anti-Corruption Bureau of Telangana had put the "Note-For-Vote" case involving TDP leaders on the back-burner, one of the accused in the sensational case was summoned today by the department, causing a flutter in political circles.

The ACB issued a notice to Jerusalem Mathaiah, Accused No. 4 in the case, directing him to appear before the investigating officers within one week to depose in connection with the case in which TDP MLA A Revanth Reddy is the principal accused.

Abiding by a High Court order restraining them from arresting Mathaiah, the ACB authorities only summoned him for a deposition, along with his lawyer.

Since Mathaiah was not available at his residence at Uppal, the authorities pasted the notice on the door in accordance with Section 130 of the CrPC.

The sudden move of the ACB authorities to reopen the case is also coming at a time when rumours are agog about the possible arrest of the TDP's Jubilee Hills MLA Maganti Gopinath in the affair. It was being alleged that the TRS was blackmailing the few MLAs still remaining with the TDP to defect.

For those who came in late, during the MLC elections of 2015 for the seats under the MLAs' quota, the TDP was accused of trying to ensure the victory of its nominee by offering huge cash. As part of the plan, TDP MLA Revanth Reddy had called on Anglo-Indian nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson and allegedly offered him Rs 50 lakhs in cash. He was caught red-handed in the process. He was arrested and sent to jail, where he stayed for nearly a month before securing bail.

The episode triggered off a bitter political war between the two Telugu States, and the leaders of both the TRS and the TDP indulged in washing dirty linen openly. While the TRS government stepped up the probe into the so-called note-for-vote scam by even trying to implicate Chandrababu Naidu in the affair, the TDP government, on the other hand, tried to drag the TRS into an alleged phone-tapping affair. The war of words reached the doorsteps of even the Union Home Ministry.

After the two Telugu States coming to loggerheads attained nation-wide attention, the issue suddenly turned a flash in the pan with the investigation suddenly almost dying down, as a consequence of a sudden bonhomie between KCR and Chandrababu Naidu. This gave rise to speculation that the scam was being given a silent burial.

However, the serving of a notice to Jerusalem Mathaiah has once again set political tongues wagging. It's even being rumoured that with the GHMC elections out of the way, the TRS government need not worry about the votes of the Seemandhra populace of Hyderabad any more, and can afford to renew hostilities with Andhra Pradesh.