Cash-for-vote case;Accused says relative unlawfully taken away

: An accused in the May 2015 cash-for-vote caseR Uday Simha Monday alleged that one of his relatives was 'unlawfully' taken away by some people claiming to be from the Income Tax department, even as he expressed fears that police might have picked him up.

Simha, who appeared before the I-T department here, claimed that one of his family members Randhir Reddy was taken away from his residence Sunday night by some persons under the pretext of 'I-T investigations.'

Simha, who appeared before the I-T officials as part of the summons issued to him, said the officials claimed no responsibility when he enquired about Reddy.

 

"They (I-T) claimed no responsibility, stating that they did not conduct raids on Sunday at Reddys residence and clearly said they were no way connected to any "such raids".

Simha alleged that police might have taken him to harass his family, owing to his relationship with Telangana Congress Working President A Revanth Reddy.

He said they have lodged a police complaint.

Income Tax sleuths had carried out searches on Thursday and Friday last at the residences and offices of Telangana Congress Working President A Revanth Reddy and his close relatives and seized some "key documents".

They conducted searches at over a dozen offices and residences belonging to Reddy and his relatives here and in different parts of the city.

They also swooped down on the residence of Sebastian Harry, an accused along with Reddy in a case related to bribing a nominated MLA to seek vote in favour of a Telugu Desam nominee in the Legislative Council elections in June 2015, in which Simha is also an accused.

On May 31, 2015, Revanth Reddy, then in the Telugu Desam Party, was caught by the Anti-Corruption Bureau while allegedly paying a bribe of Rs 50 lakh to Elvis Stephenson, a nominated MLA, for supporting TDP nominee Vem Narendar Reddy in Legislative Council elections held on June 1, 2015.

Later all the accused were granted bail.

The Congress had condemned the raids and termed it as "political vendetta" by the ruling TRS in the state and the BJP at the Centre, a claim denied by both TRS and BJP.