TRS MLAs poaching case: High Court grants stay on SIT notices to BJP leader BL Santhosh

Hyderabad, Nov 25: The Telangana High Court on Friday granted a stay till December 5 on notices issued to BJP national general secretary B L Santhosh by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that's probing the alleged attempt to poach TRS MLAs.

The Telangana Special Investigation Team (SIT) in its notice to Santhosh, served at the BJP's Karnataka headquarters at Malleswaram in Bengaluru cautioned the BJP leader that failure to appear before the SIT for interrogation could lead to his arrest as well.

The BJP national general secretary (organisation) has been directed not to commit any offence in future and, no tampering with the evidences, threatening, inducing or promising anyone acquainted with the fact of the case.

He has also been asked to appear before the court and join the investigation as an when required and cooperate with the investigation.

Santhosh has also been restricted from travelling abroad without prior permission of the SIT.

A complaint was lodged by TRS MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy, among four legislators, against three persons - Ramachandra Bharati alias Satish Sharma, Nanda Kumar and Simhayaji Swamy - on October 26.

As per the FIR copy, Rohith Reddy alleged that the accused offered him Rs 100 crore and in return the legislator had to leave the TRS and contest as a BJP candidate in the next Assembly election.

The Telangana government on November 9 ordered the setting up of a seven-member SIT to probe into the alleged poaching of the MLAs.