Andhra Pradesh Anti-Corruption Bureau on Monday filed a chargesheet against suspended judge T Pattabhirama Rao and seven others, including two Karnataka MLAs, in the cash-for-bail case involving former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy.
The chargesheet was filed in the special ACB court in Hyderabad, an official said.
According to ACB, Mr. Rao and others entered into a conspiracy to facilitate bail to Mr. Janardhan Reddy.
When asked if Mr. Janardhan Reddy himself figures in the chargesheet, the ACB official refused to comment.
The case was exposed by CBI in May after Mr. Pattabhirama Rao, additional special judge for CBI court, granted bail to Mr. Janardhan Reddy while refusing the same relief to suspended IAS officer Y Srilakshmi in the Obulapuram Mining Company case.
Amid allegations of bribe-taking against judge Rao, Andhra Pradesh High Court suspended him on May 31, and transferred the case to ACB. The HC also cancelled Reddy’s bail.
ACB has so far arrested three serving judges including Pattabhirama, besides eight others, in two cases related to the scandal.
The arrested persons include two BJP legislators from Karnataka: Janardhan Reddy’s brother and Bellary City MLA Gali Somashekhar Reddy and Kampli MLA T H Suresh Babu. Retired judge T V Chalpathi Rao, Pattabhirama’s son Ravi Chander, Dasaratha Ram Reddy (Reddy’s relative) and Yadagiri Rao, a known criminal, were also arrested.
Somashekhar, who allegedly played a key role in the affair, had struck a deal for Rs 20 crore with Yadagiri Rao in order to secure bail. Following which, Yadagiri, on May 10, arranged a meeting between Pattabhirama’s son and Chalpathi Rao. The actual sum that changed hands was Rs 9.5 crore, ACB says.
Janardhan Reddy, arrested from Bellary last year by the CBI in the OMC illegal mining case, is now in a prison in Bangalore in connection with another mining-related case.
Keywords: cash-for-bail case, T. Pattabhirama Rao, chargesheet
If this guy (not Judge) is guilty of bribe taking for bail. How can his
earlier judgments be valid and legitimate? The Judicial board of Andhra
Pradesh can answer the legitimate legal question about the validity of
his earlier judgments because who knows he might have taken a bribe and
screwed the other party that did not pay the bribe...just plain
simple..don't you think so..This is the status of India Today...sorry
state of affairs.....
There should be an independent mechanism to weed out the corrupt in
judiciary. This is not an isolated instance . Several jurists including
former Chief Justices of India have expressed their concern on
corruption in judiciary.
The modern concept of power is based on faith and acceptance. The
Court is very powerful, to the extent that it can unseat elected
governments. However it doesn't have an army or a police force of its
own. Wherefrom does it get such power? From the general acceptance of
its role as guardian of the law. AND from the faith reposed in it by
the people as a whole that it will protect the latter from
exploitation and injustice. It is betrayal of both the acceptance and
the faith of the people when the judges are themselves found engaging
in corrupt practices which do the opposite of what the court is
expected to do. And that too such an elite judge from a CBI Special
Court! This is a dark day for justice in India.
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