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Former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) allegedly sought to exploit the alleged BRS MLAs poaching case against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to resolve a money laundering investigation involving his daughter, K Kavitha, as per the confession statement of ex-Deputy Commissioner of Police P Radha Kishan Rao.
Rao, who is accused in the phone-tapping case, claims that KCR wanted to arrest BJP National General Secretary, Organisation, BL Santhosh, using the poaching case as leverage to compel the saffron party to drop the ED case against Kavitha.
The confession further asserts that KCR was furious when the plan did not materialize due to the incompetence of certain Cyberabad police officers. The case was subsequently transferred to the High Court, which issued orders prohibiting arrests, and eventually to the CBI.
Radha Kishan Rao has also admitted to phone tapping of certain officers during the BRS government's tenure in the state, under the direction of SIB chief T Prabhakar Rao. Those subjected to surveillance included Telangana Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) officials, individuals who criticized KCR, and anyone deemed a threat to the BRS government.
The ED arrested K Kavitha in March on money laundering charges related to alleged irregularities in Delhi's excise policy. The Telangana High Court has since transferred the investigation into the alleged attempt to poach BRS MLAs from the state government's SIT to the CBI.
The case involves three accused – Ramachandra Bharati alias Satish Sharma, Nandu Kumar, and Simhayaji Swamy – who were arrested for allegedly attempting to lure four BRS MLAs to join the BJP. They were later granted bail by the High Court.
The FIR filed by BRS MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy alleges that he was offered ₹100 crore to leave the TRS (now BRS) and contest as a BJP candidate in the Telangana Assembly election last year.