Cash for bail: ACB grills Somashekhar Reddy for third day

Andhra Pradesh Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) today quizzed for the third straight day Bellary MLA Gali Somashekhar Reddy, an accused in the cash-for-bail scandal involving his brother and jailed former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy.

Somashekhar Reddy, accused of "playing a key role in bribing" suspended judge T Pattabhirama Rao in granting bail to mining baron Janardhan Reddy, was earlier summoned by the ACB along with BJP's Kampli MLA T H Suresh Babu (already been arrested in the case), to appear before it as part of the investigation.

"After being served a notice I appeared before the ACB here on Friday. I was examined yesterday also and they asked me to come again today. I am cooperating with them (agency) and replied to their queries," Somashekhar Reddy told media, before entering the ACB office.

In its complaint to ACB, the CBI had earlier said that Somashekhar Reddy, Suresh Babu, Dasaratha Ram Reddy (Gali's relative), advocate T Aditya, retired judges T V Chalapathi Rao, Pattabhirama Rao and others had allegedly entered into a conspiracy for showing official favour and granting bail to Janardhan Reddy and thus committed criminal conduct.

Amid allegations of illegal gratification and corruption against Pattabhirama Rao, the Andhra Pradesh High Court suspended him on May 31 while transferring the case to ACB.

The ACB has so far arrested three serving judges, including Pattabhirama Rao, besides seven others in the case.