HC suspends judge who gave bail to Reddy

The Andhra Pradesh high court has suspended a CBI judge for alleged financial impropriety that led to his granting of bail to former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy, who is facing corruption charges. Ashok Das and Rajesh Ahuja report.

The Andhra Pradesh high court has suspended a CBI judge for alleged financial impropriety that led to his granting of bail to former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy, who is facing corruption charges.

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CBI sources said investigators had recovered around R2.5 crore from a locker and its key was found to be with the son of the additional special judge of the CBI court, T Pattabhirama Rao.

The CBI said it had got “information” that a deal was struck at Rs 6 crore for giving bail to Reddy, who is allegedly involved in illegal mining in Bellary.

“The CBI shared the information on the recovery of money from the locker with the chief justice of the Andhra Pradesh high court. The action against the judge came only after that. We need to connect the money recovered with G Janardhan Reddy to take the matter to its logical conclusion. We will seek guidance from the Andhra high court in the matter,” said a senior officer of the agency.

“There is option of a separate FIR in the matter by the CBI or the local police or it can be tied with the case against Reddy.”

In a statement, the HC registrar general said after considering some secret information received about the judge, it was felt necessary to keep him under suspension in the public interest.

The high court has ordered him not to leave Hyderabad.

A Pulliah, principal special judge of the CBI court, has been given additional charge.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Lagadpati Rajgopal has launched a dharna in Visakhapatnam, demanding action against those who had allegedly “bribed the judge”. The judge, however, could not be reached for his observations.