MLAs' poaching case: T'gana HC extends stay on notice to Santhosh

Hyderabad, Dec 5:  BJP national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh and Kerala-based doctor Jaggu Swamy whose name figured in the MLA poaching case in Telangana, received relief on Monday after the High Court granted a stay on the notice issued by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the matter.

The High Court issued stay on notices issued to Santhosh and Jaggu Swamy till December 13.

The court restrained the SIT from taking any action with regard to the notices issued to the duo.

The stay was issued by the court while hearing quash petitions filed by the petitioners.

Santhosh filed a quash petition challenging the 2nd 41 A CrPC notice dated November 23, issued to him by SIT police in the MLA poaching case.

The court had earlier stayed notice issued to senior BJP leader till December 5.

Kottilil Narayan Jaggu a.k.a. Jaggu Swami had also filed a quash petition, challenging the notice served to him by the SIT and also the subsequent lookout notice issued for him by the probe team.

Arguing that he is no way involved in the case, the petitioner has sought stay on the proceedings against him.

The SIT issued a lookout notice for Jaggu Swami on November 22, terming him a wanted person in the case.

The names of Santosh and Jaggu Swami figured in the conversation between three alleged BJP agents arrested by the police in October while trying to lure four MLAs of TRS to the BJP fold with an offer of huge money.

Last week, the High Court granted bail to three accused in the case.

Ramachandra Bharati, Nand Kumar and D.P.S.K. V. Simhayaji were granted conditional bail by the court.

They were arrested by the Cyberabad police from a farmhouse at Moinabad near Hyderabad on the night of October 26 when they were allegedly trying to lure four MLAs of TRS with offers of huge money.

Cyberabad police conducted the raid on a tip-off by Pilot Rohit Reddy, one of the MLAs. He alleged that the accused offered Rs 100 crore to him and Rs 50 crore each to three others.

The SIT has added Santosh, Tushar Vellapally, Jaggu Swamy and advocate B. Srinivas as the other accused in the sensational case.

The accused have been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 171B r/w 171E (bribery), 506 r/w 34 (criminal intimidation) section 8 of Prevention of Corruption Act.