BJP's Plea On Notices To Top Leader In Telangana Poaching Case Dismissed

The Telangana High Court on Saturday dismissed a plea by the BJP to stay the notices issued to party general secretary B L Santhosh by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged attempt to poach TRS MLAs.

Hearing a petition filed by BJP in Telangana seeking stay of notice issued by the SIT under Section 41A of CrPC to Santhosh, the court said the BJP leader shall cooperate with the SIT authorities, while directing that he should not be arrested until further orders.

The SIT probing the alleged attempt to poach TRS MLAs has summoned Mr Santhosh to appear before it for questioning on November 21.

In his notice to Mr Santhosh, served at the BJP's Karnataka headquarters at Malleswaram in Bengaluru, the investigating officer B Gangadhar cautioned the BJP leader that failure to appear before the SIT for interrogation could lead to his arrest as well.

The BJP national general secretary was not available for comment.

"During the investigation, it is revealed that there are reasonable grounds to question you to ascertain facts and circumstances from you, in relation to the present investigation," the police officer said in his notice issued on November 16.

The BJP national general secretary (organisation) has been directed not to commit any offence in future and, no tampering with the evidences, threatening, inducing or promising anyone acquainted with the fact of the case.

He has also been asked to appear before the court and join the investigation as an when required and cooperate with the investigation.

Mr Santhosh has also been restricted from travelling abroad without prior permission of the SIT.

A complaint was lodged by TRS MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy, among four legislators, against three persons -- Ramachandra Bharati alias Satish Sharma, Nanda Kumar and Simhayaji Swamy -- on October 26.

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

The Telangana government on November 9 ordered the setting up of a seven-member SIT to probe into the alleged poaching of the MLAs

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