The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday moved a petition in the High Court seeking permission to arrest First Additional CBI Judge T Pattabhi Ramarao, who granted bail to former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy in an illegal mining case, by allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 10 crore.
The agency has noticed that Rs 10 crore has changed hands and at least four people were involved in the alleged hawala operations. The agency also booked the judge’s son and others involved in this connection.
According to CBI sources, a retired judge and a man with criminal background acted as mediators in the hawala deal and the cash was allegedly brought from Bellary to Hyderabad in two installments. The agency has identified five bank lockers of Ramarao and others where the money was deposited and seized Rs 1.60 crore from a bank locker in Ashok Nagar area of Hyderabad.
According to the deal between the judge and the relatives of Janardhan Reddy, it was agreed that Rs 3 crore would be paid before the bail order and Rs 7 crore thereafter.
Earlier, while suspending Pattabhi Ramarao, the High Court has asked him not to leave Hyderabad without informing it. The chief justice also ordered a probe by the legal department and the anti-corruption cell.
Meanwhile, a group of lawyers from Telangana region on Friday staged a protest outside the High Court demanding the arrest of the suspended judge. (INN)