ED to grill Naidu in cash-for-vote case, to issue notice!

A big development is expected in the sensational cash-for-vote case soon in Telangana in which TDP chief and AP CM N Chandrababu Naidu is one of the accused facing allegations of trying to bribe TRS nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson to vote in favour of TDP candidate in MLC elections held in June 2015.

The Telangana ACB and the central government's Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax Department (I-T) have speeded up the investigation into the case at a time when AP is going for Assembly polls in two months.

The ED has issued notices to prime accused in the case, namely A Revanth Reddy (then TDP MLA and now Congress working president), Vem Narender Reddy (then TDP leader and now in Congress) and Udaya Simha.

All the three were grilled by ED recently.

Revanth alone was called for inquiry for two consecutive days on February 19 and 20 and was grilled for over ten hours for both days.

Vem Narender Reddy and his two sons were also called for questioning recently.

ED and I-T departments tried to obtain details from the accused from where Rs 50 lakh that was offered to Stephenson at his house on May 31, 2015 was mobilised and also the source of Rs 4.50 crore money that was promised to pay Stephenson, if he votes for TDP candidate Vem Narender Reddy in MLC elections.

Officials  asked them to disclose who was the 'sir' who readied bribe amount, they were referring to in their conversation with Stephenson, which was caught on video tape by ACB.

All the three were learnt to have told ED and IT officials that the 'sir' they were referring to was 'Chandrababu Naidu', though there is no official confirmation on this.

After grilling, Revanth's comments before media that Centre and TS governments were targetting Chandrababu in the name of cash for vote case has lent credence to this.

Revanth went on to say that all the questions that were asked by ED and IT officials were pointed at fixing Chandrababu. He also said Centre is trying to fire Chandrababu from KCR's shoulders.

Going by the details obtained from Revanth and other two accused, ED is learnt to have taken a decision to issue notice to Chandrababu asking him to appear before it for questioning on this case soon.

This will be a huge blow to Chandrababu before crucial AP polls.

These latest developments are being speculated as KCR readying 'return gift' for Naidu that he vowed to present him during AP Assembly polls for his involvement in recent TS Assembly polls.

ED is expected to arrest the accused in the case for further investigation if it finds solid proofs of their involvement.