On Friday, the Supreme Court declined to direct the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to refrain from investigating the alleged attempt to lure four Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLAs into the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Telangana government had requested the court to instruct the CBI to not make any arrests until the investigation was complete, but their request was also denied. The division bench, consisting of Justice B R Gavai and Justice Manoj Mishra, posted the matter for further hearing on February 27.
During the hearing, senior advocate Dushyant Dave argued on behalf of the Telangana government that transferring the investigation to the CBI, which is under the control of the BJP-led central government, would not serve justice. Dave pointed out that the FIR filed by Telangana had accused BJP members, making it questionable to transfer the case to the CBI. The government had previously set up a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the matter, but the state high court had quashed it. Dave expressed concern that there had been no progress in the investigation since the petition was submitted to the Supreme Court.
Despite Dave's arguments, the Supreme Court refused to prevent the CBI from investigating the case at this stage. The court did not see any reason to interfere with the ongoing investigation and stated that the CBI could continue its work. The Telangana government's request to prevent the CBI from making any arrests was also turned down.
The alleged attempt to poach four Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLAs into the Bharatiya Janata Party has caused significant political tension in Telangana. The government accused the BJP of trying to topple the state government and filed an FIR against the party leaders. The case was later transferred to the CBI, prompting the Telangana government to approach the Supreme Court to stop the investigation. However, the court's decision means that the CBI can continue its probe into the matter.
The case's outcome is of utmost importance as it could significantly impact Telangana's political future. The investigation's progress and the outcome of the case will determine whether the Bharat Rashtra Samithi government can retain its power in the state. If the BJP is found guilty, it could have severe implications for the party's political future in the state. Conversely, if the CBI finds no evidence against the BJP, it could hurt the credibility of the Telangana government, which had accused the BJP of trying to destabilize the state.
