New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday said it will appoint a special prosecutor to conduct the trial in the 2015 cash-for-vote scam case in which Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is an accused.
Senior advocate C Aryama Sundaram, appearing for Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA Guntakandla Jagadish Reddy and three others, requested a three-judge bench led by Justice B R Gavai to transfer the trial in the case. He argued that the Telangana CM has been publicly making statements on the case. The bench, also comprising Justices P K Mishra and K V Viswanathan, was hearing a petition seeking transfer of the trial in the case from the state to Bhopal.
Justice Gavai said the court will appoint a special prosecutor to conduct the trial and the bench will consult colleagues from Telangana and pass an order at 2 pm. Sundaram submitted that Telangana CM is himself the Home Minister. "Only on apprehension, how can we entertain...If we entertain such petitions, we will be disbelieving our judicial officers," said the bench.
Sundaram contended that there is a rule of natural justice that no person should be a judge in his own cause. However, the bench said it will appoint an independent public prosecutor to inspire confidence.
The state government counsel contended before the bench that wherever there has been a quashing, the ACB has challenged the quashing including one which is before the apex court and it was on jurisdiction. “We will direct the appointment of a special prosecutor. We will consult our colleagues from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. We will pass an order at 2 PM”, said Justice Gavai.
The bench observed that from 2021, the matter is pending and the stay is operating and only after 2024, when the election results are declared a petition is filed for transfer.
The plea, seeking transfer of the trial to Bhopal, has raised the issue of a free and fair trial saying that Revanth Reddy has now become the chief minister as well as home minister of Telangana. “We will only say, in order to have complete faith in our judiciary. In order to have some impartiality, the sense of confidence in the minds of everyone. We will appoint….”, said Justice Gavai. Sundaram insisted that the ACB is directly under the chief minister and he holds the ministry.