Close on the heels of the suspension of First Additional Special Judge for CBI cases T. Pattabhirama Rao on Thursday, teams of the CBI organised raids in several places across Andhra Pradesh on Saturday.
Mr. Rao was suspended after the CBI unearthed cash of about Rs. 2.87 crore from the lockers of a nationalised bank at Ashok Nagar in Hyderabad. He is alleged to have struck a deal with mining baron and former Karnataka Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy before granting him bail on May 11 in the illegal mining case.
A CBI team raided the residence of Yadagiri Rao, an alleged rowdy-sheeter, at HMT Nagar in Nacharam in Hyderabad. He is said to have played a part in the mediation process between Mr. Rao and Mr. Reddy. The CBI also searched the premises of a printing press in Gudivada, and the residence of former judicial officer Chalapathi Rao in Chilakaluripeta of Guntur district.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Law Erasu Pratap Reddy, whose name figured in the media for his alleged involvement in the cash-for-bail scam, made an unsuccessful attempt to meet Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy. By the time he reached the Chief Minister’s residence, Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy had left for campaigning in the by-elections. The Minister has denied any involvement in the scam and offered to quit politics if his involvement was proved.
Security beefed up at CBI office
City Police on Saturday beefed up security around the main office of the CBI in Koti, in anticipation of the High Court’s order on the bail petition of Kadapa MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy in the disproportionate assets case and the CBI’s petition seeking his custody.
The entire area around the CBI office at Koti was heavily barricaded and the media denied entry. About four companies of Central security forces currently on duty in the State capital were also deployed for the purpose.
It is understood that the top brass of the police decided that it would not be conducive for the CBI to interrogate Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy in its temporary office at Dilkusha Guest House in case the High Court granted him CBI custody. The inconvenience that would be caused to the public on the busy Raj Bhavan road was also taken into consideration.
