Telangana poaching row explained: Who offered TRS MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy Rs 100 crore to join BJP?

The Cyberabad police on Wednesday detained three people from a farmhouse in Ranga Reddy district of Telangana for allegedly offering a bribe of Rs 100 crore to Telangana MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy for defecting to the BJP. Those detained have been identified as Ramachandra Bharati, Nanda Kumar and Simhayaji Swamy. They have been booked under Sections 120-B, 171-B r/w 171-E 506 r/w 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act-1988.

TRS MLA Reddy said in his complaint that the Bharati, a resident of Delhi and Hyderabad's Nanda Kumar -- both allegedly associated with BJP -- offered him Rs 100 crore to join the BJP and instigate other MLAs to do the same. They allegedly offered Rs 50 crore to each MLA who wishes to join the party, he alleged.

As per the FIR, these people wanted the politician to contest the next elections from BJP. They also allegedly offered the central government's contract in order to lure him. They also threatened him with CBI and ED cases if he declines the offer.

The MLA alleged that the trio invited him to the farmhouse to further their negotiations. They claimed they would pay Rs 50 crore each to all those who follow him out of TRS.

Simhayaji Swamy is said to be a native of Tirupathi.

"They informed that three persons namely Ramachandra Bharati alias Satish Sharma of Delhi, one Nanda Kumar and one Simhayaji Swamy of Tirupathi would come to my farmhouse to finalize the deal of joining in BJP by resigning from the TRS party. Therefore, he requested to take necessary legal action against the above persons and the persons behind this conspiracy for offering him a bribe to resign from TRS and also to join in BJP by indulging in unethical and undemocratic ways by offering huge amounts as a bribe," the FIR said, as per ANI.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, meanwhile, blamed TRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao for what they called drama enacted out of fear of losing the Munugode bypolls.

BJP national vice-president D K Aruna said those arrested weren't from the BJP.

According to Hindustan, Satish Sharma alias Ram Chandra Bharti is a priest in Haryana's Faridabad. Satish Sharma and D Simhayaji could be seen in some photos with BJP leaders but it can't be verified if they were associated with the party.

Union Minister and BJP leader G Kishan Reddy denied the allegations. He said the TRS government will not collapse with one MLA deciding to leave. He demanded that a probe be conducted under a retired Supreme Court judge.