Cash-for-bail: No relief for suspended CBI judge

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court in Hyderabad today dismissed the bail petition of suspended special CBI judge T Pattabhirama Rao who is the prime accused in the cash-for-bail scam involving mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court in Hyderabad on Friday dismissed the bail petition of suspended special CBI judge T Pattabhirama Rao who is the prime accused in the cash-for-bail scam involving mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy.

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Pattabhirama was arrested on June 19 by the ACB for allegedly taking bribe to grant bail to Janardhan Reddy in the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) scam case.

Opposing the bail petition on Friday, the prosecution contended that the accused has never denied the allegations against him, however, the defence denied the charge against Pattabhirama.

The ACB had registered a case on June 9 against Pattabhirama and seven others under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act in the cash-for-bail scandal. The ACB had already filed a chargesheet against Pattabhirama and seven others.

According to CBI, Pattabhirama, who was additional special judge for CBI court, granted bail to former Karnataka minister Janardhan Reddy, while denying the relief to suspended IAS officer Y Srilakshmi in the OMC scam case.

Amid allegations of graft against Pattabhirama, the Andhra Pradesh High Court suspended him on May 31 while transferring the case to ACB, which has so far arrested three serving judges including Pattabhirama, besides eight others, who are all lodged in the Cherlapally Central Prison in Hyderabad.