CBI judge in the dock for taking bribe to grant bail to Reddy

Giving a twist to the series of probes by the CBI and the queue by the accused to secure bail from lower courts, a CBI court judge was suspended by the Andhra Pradesh high court for allegedly accepting bribe to grant bail to mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy.

The high court on Thursday suspended T Pattabhirama Rao, first additional special judge for CBI cases, Hyderabad. However, the high court did not assign any reason.

Sources said the suspension was a result of a probe by the CBI on the process of the judge accepting a bribe of at least Rs 2.5 crore for granting bail.

Reddy was arrested in September 2011 for allegedly carrying out illegal iron ore mining on the AP-Karnataka border. He was granted bail by the first additional special judge on May 12.

However, the process of granting bail caught the attention of the CBI particularly with Reddy’s advocates keeping the bail bonds ready even before the bail order was given.

A probe by the CBI reportedly provided material pointing at Rao coming under influence for granting the bail. Though there is also a speculation that the bribe amount was about Rs 10 crore, the CBI could find material evidence for about Rs 2.5 crore. The bribe amount was allegedly transferred to the judge’s son’s bank accounts and lockers.

On finding the prima facie evidence in support of the allegations against the judge, the HC suspended him.