SC adjourns Telangana CM Revanth Reddy’s plea challenging HC order

The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the hearing of Telangana Chief Minister Anumula Revanth Reddy’s petition challenging the high court’s dismissal of 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.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta adjourned the hearing on several pleas, including Reddy’s petition, after being informed about a bereavement in the family of one of the lawyers handling the case.

The Chief Minister of Telangana has challenged the high court’s June 1, 2021 order, which dismissed his plea challenging the jurisdiction of the special anti-corruption bureau (ACB) court to conduct the trial in the case.

On May 31, 2015, Revanth Reddy, then associated with the Telugu Desam Party, was apprehended by the ACB while allegedly offering a Rs 50 lakh bribe to Elvis Stephenson, a nominated MLA, for supporting TDP nominee Vem Narendar Reddy in the legislative council elections. Along with Reddy, the ACB had arrested several others, all of whom were 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 (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. The ACB asserted that it had gathered conclusive evidence against the accused in the form of audio/video recordings and had recovered an advance amount of Rs 50 lakh.