Supreme Court Delivers Major Victory To Chandrababu Naidu In Cash-for-Votes Scandal

In a significant development in the cash-for-vote scandal, the Supreme Court of India has granted a major relief to former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. On Thursday, the Court rejected two petitions that sought to include Naidu as a defendant in the ongoing case and to transfer the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The petitions were filed by Alla Ramakrishna Reddy, a leader of the YSR Congress Party, and were dismissed by a bench led by Justice Sundaresh. Along with rejecting the petitions, the bench issued a stern warning to Reddy, advising him against using the judiciary as a tool for political gains.

This ruling upholds a previous decision by the High Court, which had also denied Reddy’s attempts to drag Naidu into the scandal. The Supreme Court’s verdict represents a significant setback for the YSR Congress Party and offers considerable relief to Naidu and his supporters.

The cash-for-vote scandal revolves around allegations involving TDP MLA A. Revanth Reddy and other associates, who are accused of attempting to bribe a nominated MLA to secure votes for their candidate during the Telangana Legislative Council elections. In May 2015, Elvis Stephenson, a nominated MLA in the Telangana Assembly, lodged a complaint alleging that Revanth Reddy had offered him ₹5 crore in exchange for his vote.

Chandrababu Naidu has also accused the Telangana TRS Government of illegal phone tapping, further complicating the political landscape surrounding the scandal. With the Supreme Court’s decision, Naidu’s legal troubles regarding this particular case have been significantly alleviated, though the broader political and legal ramifications of the scandal continue to unfold.