Another judge figures in bail-for-sale scam

Former judge Prabhakar Rao accused of offering Rs 10-cr bribe

The confessional statements of jailed CBI Special Judge T Pattabhi Ramarao’s son Ravichandra and sessions Judge T V Chalapathi Rao have opened up new angles, including the name of yet another judge in the bail for sale scam and another bail for sale deal by Pattabhi.

“My father settled for the less complicated T V Chalapathi Rao to seal the deal after former judge Prabhakar Rao who is currently employed at the State Election Commission started pestering my father to grant bail to Gali Janardhana Reddy,” Ravichandra said in his confession.

While Chalapati offered Rs 5 crore for bail to Gali, Prabhakar offered Rs 10 crore. But Pattabhi struck the deal with trusted friend Chalapathi Rao, who retired and settled down in Chilakaluripet of Guntur district. Chalapathi Rao took Ravichandra to Paradise Hotel in Secunderabad so that Gali’s men would believe that the deal was struck with his father. This way Chalapati ensured that Gali’s men saw it all from a distance and instilled confidence in them.

Chalapati said in his confession that Pattabhi finally agreed for the Rs 5-crore deal and had even told him on the morning of May 11 that he was granting bail to Gali only in anticipation of the cash. Chalapati Rao also met Pattabhi in his chamber in the court on May 8 to strike the deal.

Earlier deal

Pattabhi preferred Chalapathi because he had delivered Rs 10 lakh for granting bail to a police officer, Sarveswar Rao, who was accused in a disproportionate assets case. P Yadagiri Rao, another middleman, had played a key role in both cases.

“Prabahakar Rao started calling Pattabhi, forcing him to disclose the names of the middlemen who finalised the deal. He started threatening my father and warned us that he would report the matter to police”, he said. He added that on May 17, he took his father for a meeting with Rao where he said Gali’s men did not pay him the money they promised and he wanted their details to extract the amount due to him.

On the other hand, former sessions judge TV Chalapathi Rao, a batch mate of Pattabhi in law school, introduced Pattabhi to easy money by striking the Sarweswar Reddy bail. Rowdy-sheeter Yadagiri met Chalapathi Rao and negotiations for Gali’s bail began around May 2-3. “Pattabhi told me that one Prabhakar Rao is offering Rs 10 crore for the bail and he would only be able to say anything after having a look at the file.” Chalapathi Rao confessed.