Telangana HC virtually hears pleas on CBI probe into poaching case

Justice B Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court heard senior counsel Mahesh Jethmalani virtually for three main accused in the MLA poaching case.

Hyderabad: Justice B Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court on Friday heard senior counsel Mahesh Jethmalani virtually for the three main accused in the MLA poaching case.

Continuing the hearing on the batch of writ pleas pertaining to the case, the judge heard Jethmalani through video conference with limited participation of advocates concerned based on a request from Jethmalani.

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Summing up the case, Jethmalani submitted that the entire State machinery in the case was working under the Chief Minister. As the State government was interested in this case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) cannot conduct an investigation in an impartial manner, he argued, pointing out that the State’s higher police officers themselves were witnesses, investigation agency and the prosecutors as well.

He also argued that the complainant Pilot Rohit Reddy MLA had defected from Congress to the TRS and was making defection allegations against the BJP. Citing various Supreme Court judgements, Jethmalani stressed that the investigation should be transferred to CBI or another agency that was not under the control of the State government.

The judge will now hear the arguments of the BJP on December 13.