Telangana HC restrains SIT from arresting BL Santhosh

The Telangana High Court on Saturday passed interim orders preventing the K Chandrasekhar Rao government constituted SIT from arresting BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh, till further orders.

The Special Investigation Team probing the TRS MLAs alleged bribing to defect into the BJP case had earlier this week issued a notice to summon the top BJP leader for questioning in Hyderabad on Monday.

In the video tapes of the alleged conversations between “three Delhi sent men” and four TRS MLAs, presented before the media by Chief Minister Rao on November 3, Santhosh's name was mentioned several times.

Also read | Telangana police summons BJP leader B L Santhosh in TRS MLAs' poaching case

In the notice, under 41-A CrPC, meant for Santhosh, the Telangana police said that “there are reasonable grounds to question you to ascertain facts and circumstances from you, in relation to the present investigation”.

The notice dated November 16 has Bommrabettu Laxmijanardhana Santhosh name with Malleswaram, Bengaluru address. Asking Santhosh to “not tamper with the evidence in the case in any manner whatsoever,” the letter further says that he could be arrested if he fails to appear before the SIT in the Hyderabad police command control center on Monday.

The restraining orders came after Telangana BJP leader Premender Reddy approached the high court. The court has posted the matter for further hearing on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, hearing a submission by the SIT, the court has also directed the Delhi police to cooperate with the SIT in serving the notice to Santhosh.

The Telangana BJP is alleging that the notices and the SIT probe in the first place are politically motivated to defame their party.

Following the arrests of the three alleged BJP agents at a farmhouse near Hyderabad on October 26, T-BJP general secretary Premender Reddy approached the Telangana High Court seeking a free and fair probe in the TRS MLAs' alleged bribing matter and transfer of the case to the CBI or a commission of enquiry under a sitting HC judge.

While the court rejected the CBI probe plea, the KCR government constituted a Special Investigation Team on November 9 with C V Anand, Hyderabad Commissioner of Police, as head.

Further, the high court on November 15 passed orders that a single judge will monitor the SIT investigation. “The progress of investigation has to be submitted before him in a sealed cover by the SIT from time to time.”