Somasekhara Reddy gets bail in cash-for-bail scam

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday granted conditional bail to Bellary (Urban) MLA and tainted mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy’s brother Somasekhara Reddy, suspended CBI judge T Pattabhirama Rao and suspended district judge K Laksminarayana Rao. They are likely to walk out of jail on Wednesday.

Justice Samudrala Govindarajulu did not agree with the ACB counsel’s argument that Rao and Reddy could influence witnesses and tamper with evidences if released on bail. The court also dismissed the ACB’s petition challenging bail granted by the ACB court to Rao’s son Ravichandra and junior lawyer Aditya.

The ACB had arrested Rao on June 19 for allegedly taking bribe for granting bail to Janardhana Reddy in the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) scam case. City small causes court judge K Lakshminarasimha Rao, district and sessions judge D Prabhakar Rao and a realtor were also arrested in connection with the case.

The CBI court special judge allegedly received Rs 10 crore in May for granting bail to Reddy. Retired judge T V Chalapathi Rao and rowdy sheeter Yadgiri Rao were also arrested for allegedly receiving the money on Rao’s behalf.

It was during his stay at the Cherlapalli Jail here that prison officials confiscated Rs 15,000 cash from Somasekhara Reddy. Later, the Prisons department ordered an inquiry into the seizure of cash from his cell. Reddy had explained that the money was given to him by his family members during a “mulaqat.”

However, sources said Reddy might have received the cash through an insider as he is not a special class prisoner and is entitled to only “jaali mulaqats,” wherein a mesh separates him from the visitors.

Bail denied

Meanwhile, the ACB Special Court here on Tuesday remanded Gali Janardhana Reddy in judicial custody till October 5 in the cash-for-bail case.