CM Naidu files petition as 'Vote for Note' noose tightens

Amid the reports that the Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is getting ready to collect voice samples of chief minister Chandrababu Naidu for cross checking in the now famous note-for-vote case, Naidu today filed a petition in the Hyderabad High Court against the order of  Hyderabad ACB Court.

On Monday, the special judge of the Anti-Corruption Bureau Court in Hyderabad directed the Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to completely investigate the complaint against Andhra Pradesh chief minister Naidu in the 'note-for-vote' scandal, that originally surfaced in 2015.

Following Monday's order, the ACB has intensified its investigation. 

Upon confirmation by forensic experts that the alleged voice does belong to CM Naidu and there was no manipulation, the ACB is now reportedly getting ready slap notices on Naidu, with a request to provide a sample of his voice.

If Naidu refuses to respond, the ACB, alternatively, is planning to collect a voice sample from his Assembly speeches - which is expected to clinch the whole investigation.

The ACB Court order was the result of a complaint filed Alla Ramakrishna Reddy, a YSR Congress Party MLA from Mangalagiri, Guntur District. 

In his petition, Reddy charged that the Telangana ACB was not taking the investigation in the case to its logical conclusion even after a year.  

The special judge then directed the ACB to probe the case and furnish a report to the court by September 29.

Against this background, on Thursday, Naidu moved a special lunch motion before Justice MSK Jaiswal for an order staying the orders of the ACB Court. 

In his petition, Naidu urged the court, "...to stay the operation of the order dated 29.08.2016 passed in CC SR No. 958/2016 by the Principal Special Judge for SPE &ACB cases, Hyderabad."

Naidu also argued that Reddy, the respondent in the present petition, had no locus standi to file a private petition, as he was not the aggrieved person.

Naidu's petition will come up for hearing tomorrow before another judge, as Justice Jaiswal will be unavailable on Friday.

The note-for-vote scandal revolves around Telugu Desam Party (TDP) legislator A Revenath Reddy, who allegedly paid a bribe of ₹50 lakh to nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson. 

The bribe was paid to supposedly ensure that Stephenson would vote for  Vem Narendar Reddy in the Legislative Council elections, on behalf of the TDP.

The impropriety was captured by the Telangana ACB in a sting operation conducted in 2015. 

During the investigation into the allegations, the ACB traced a telephonic conversation that CM Naidu allegedly had with a nominated MLA. In that conversation, Naidu is heard assuring that he would "honour the commitments and promises made by his men". 

These 'commitments' are believed to be quid pro quos for the MLA, who would then, allegedly, vote for the TDP candidate.