The sensational 'cash for vote' case in Telangana in 2015 in which TDP chief and AP CM N Chandrababu Naidu is facing charges of trying to bribe TRS nominated MLC Stephenson to vote for TDP candidate in MLC elections, took a new twist with a new video surfacing on Thursday.
The conversation in the video between then TDP MLA A Revanth Reddy, Stephenson and Sebastian clearly revealed that "Babu" arranged Rs 5 crore amount to bribe Stephenson.
In this conversation, Revanth and Sebastian took the name of "Babu" multiple times.
Now, this is anyone's easy guess who could be the "Babu" they were referring to.
This new video clip of 11 minutes shot on a phone camera along with spy cameras of ACB at the residence of Malcom Taylor in Tarnaka in Hyderabad, where Revanth, Stephenson and Sebastian met to strike a 'deal', could help investigation agencies to detect who arranged Rs 5 crore bribe amount.
The Income Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate are already probing the 'source of Rs 5 crore' for the past two months and questioned Revanth, Uday Sinha, Vem Narendar Reddy, Sebastian in January and February this year in this regard.
This new video would help these agencies to achieve a breakthrough on who arranged Rs 5 crore.
The video reveals the source.
It begins with Mr Revanth Reddy meeting Elvis Stephenson at key witness Malcom Taylor house in Tarnaka, to confirm the deal and hand over the cash.
The conversation goes like: Revanth Reddy: “If anything happens to you (Elvis), here (in Telangana), you be nominated as MLA in AP and I (Revanth Reddy) am for you for other things. This is my personal responsibility given by my ‘Boss’. I am staking my head for this deal.”
Elvis Stephenson: “I am staking my entire life.”
Revanth Reddy: “By night I will send you the entire money through Sebastian.”
In the background a man is seen carrying a black bag out of which the cash is removed and placed on the centre table.
What is significant about this clip is that after Revanth Reddy leaves, Sebastian stays back and begins negotiations with Stephenson for a percentage as commission, as he played a role in connecting Elvis with the person named Babu.
Sebastian tells Stephenson: “Mediators are also there. Actually, Babu said he will give only Rs 3-3 crore, but I insisted. I sincerely requested and took up the responsibility (of increasing the money). I have taken the responsibility. Babu is trusting me, but you (Elvis) are trusting Revanth Reddy, thus he was brought into the picture.”
Though it is not clear that which 'Babu' (both were referring to) but it appears as if Elvis and Sebastian were very well aware of who he was.
The clip ends with ACB sleuths arresting Revanth Reddy.
