The Supreme Court of India has postponed the hearing of Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s petition until February. Reddy is challenging the high court’s decision to dismiss his plea questioning the jurisdiction of an ACB court in conducting the trial for the 2015 cash-for-vote scam case, in which he is an accused. The hearing was adjourned due to a bereavement in the family of one of the lawyers involved in the case.
Reddy’s petition challenges the high court’s order from June 1, 2021, which dismissed his plea questioning the jurisdiction of the Special Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court to conduct the trial. In May 2015, Reddy, who was then with the Telugu Desam Party, was apprehended by the ACB for allegedly offering a Rs 50-lakh bribe to a nominated MLA in exchange for support in the legislative council elections.
Several others were also arrested by the ACB and later granted bail. In July 2015, the ACB filed a charge sheet against Reddy and others under the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code. The ACB claimed to have collected solid evidence, including audio/video recordings and the recovery of an advance amount of Rs 50 lakh.
The hearing of Reddy’s petition has been delayed until February by the Supreme Court.
