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Judge absent, cash-for-vote case hearing against Revanth Reddy postponed again

The Nampally court moved today’s hearing in the “cash-for-vote” case against Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to November 14, 2024, as the judge was on leave. Reddy and the other accused in the case were to appear before court in Wednesday’s hearing.
This is not the first time the proceedings have been pushed back; the case has faced multiple postponements since its inception in 2015, adding to the growing political drama surrounding it.
Today’s hearing date was given on September 24, when only one accused, Mathaiah Jerusalem, showed up, while the others, including Revanth Reddy, were absent. The court had mandated the presence of all accused, including Uday Simha, Vem Krishna Kirthan, and Bishop Harry Sebastian, at today’s hearing.
The Supreme Court also recently ruled that the trial would not be transferred to the Telangana High Court, despite requests for a change of venue to ensure a fair trial. The court instructed Revanth Reddy not to interfere with the proceedings, emphasising the importance of maintaining judicial integrity.
In a press conference held on Tuesday, October 15, Mathaiah threatened to commence a hunger strike outside the courthouse if Revanth Reddy failed to appear.
The case revolves around allegations that Revanth Reddy, when he was a member of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), 2015, attempted to bribe an MLA, identified as Elvis Stephenson, to secure his vote for a TDP candidate in the legislative council elections. The alleged bribe was of Rs 5 crore, with ₹50 lakh paid in advance. The Anti-Corruption Bureau had caught on record Reddy offering the money, during a sting operation.
The case escalated when the Enforcement Directorate began its investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and filed a case in 2021, charging him with money laundering based on witness testimony and video evidence.

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