Operation Kamala: Telangana SIT arrives at Thushar Vellappally’s doorsteps, summons issued

Kochi: A special investigation team (SIT) of the Telangana police probing the MLAs poaching case in the state is in Kerala. The SIT on Wednesday issued a summons to Thushar Vellappally, the chief of the Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), an ally of the BJP in Kerala.

The Telangana cops have asked Thushar to appear before the SIT in Hyderabad on November 21.

Thushar, the son of prominent community leader Vellappally Natesan, is accused of being part of a move to buy four MLAs of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti offering huge sums at the behest of the BJP.

Thushar was not at his home when the cops reached there. His office secretary has received the notice. The notice was served by the special team comprising Nalgonda SP Rema Rajeshwari.

The SIT investigation is monitored by the Telangana High Court and it is instructed to submit a report of the progress of the investigation in a sealed cover to the court by November 29. C V Anand, commissioner, of Hyderabad City is heading the SIT.

The case against Thushar and other accused, including three who have already been arrested and remanded, was registered based on a complaint filed by Tandur MLA Pilot Rohit Reddy at the Moinabad police station. The accused have been slapped with charges including corruption.

The SIT was formed as the state police chief found that the case which is 'sensitive, high profile and sensational' requires scientific investigation in multiple dimensions by experienced officers with the required expertise.

It is learned that the police's initial inference is that there is enough technical and circumstantial evidence against the accused.

Thushar's name cropped up in the case after Telangana Chief Minister and TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao alleged that the BDJS leader was a key conspirator behind the BJP's 'Operation Lotus' move in his state. He alleged that the suspected BJP agents who had met the four TRS MLAs as part of the BJP’s poaching bid were in touch with Thushar Vellappally as well. On November 3, KCR released video and audio clips to substantiate his claim.

Thushar has rubbished Rao's claims. He had contested against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 general elections from Wayanad. He got 6% of the polled votes and finished third. BJP leader and Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan said that the allegations against Thushar were baseless. He added that the visuals released by KCR were morphed.