Snoopgate gets murky, Andhra cops held with cash in Telangana

HYDERABAD: The snooping war between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh intensified with six police personnel belonging to Andhra intelligence wing allegedly engaged in poll spy work and distributing money getting 'caught' in Dharmapuri and Mancherial late on Friday, leading to TRS lodging a complaint with Election Commission on Saturday. Chief electoral officer (CEO), Telangana, Rajat Kumar has asked AP DGP RP Thakur to probe the matter and submit a report with 48 hours.Six Andhra police personnel, in two separate instances, were caught distributing money and surveying electoral prospects of TRS.
CEO Rajat Kumar wrote to AP DGP RP Thakur and asked him to probe the matter and submit a report in two days. In the letter, the CEO identified the Andhra officers as Narayan Reddy, B Venkateshwar Rao and Madhu Babu, who he said were "moving with money in Telangana districts for distributing to the voters and were caught by TRS workers in Dharmapuri constituency." Rajat Kumar identified the three caught in Mancherial as Ramakrishna Reddy, Manohar and Ram Babu. The CEO also submitted video footages to AP DGP.
The ruling party has been maintaining that Andhra intelligence personnel have been snooping in Telangana and ascertaining the winning chances of TRS, TDP and other members of the proposed grand alliance.
Rajeshwar Reddy said the parties were conspiring using the office of Andhra DGP in Hyderabad. "The surveying police personnel were caught and videographed by the people and we have evidence," the TRS leader said. He alleged Chandrababu Naidu had started distribution of money by deputing six police personnel in each Assembly constituency.
He said Mahakutami leaders sought directions from CEO not to check their vehicles. However, people seized money in the vehicles belonging to TDP leaders. "Police seized Rs50 lakh from the vehicles of Vallabhaneni Anil, a close aide of TDP Telangana chief L Ramana," he added.
Municipal administration minister KT Rama Rao said Andhra police were carrying out a survey on behalf of TDP as Naidu was not believing surveys by Congress.