While a CBI special court judge faces action for granting bail to former minister Gali Janardhan Reddys charged with illegal mining in both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, its claimed a massive Rs 60 crore deal was struck to secure his release with the involvement of rowdy sheeters, an AP minister, sitting judges, former judges, lawyers and a former journalist.
Around Rs 15 crore was allegedly paid in advance by the former minister's associates and now CBI sleuths are trying to recover the money, say sources in the investigating agency. A similar plan was drawn up to get the mining czar out of the Parappana Agrahara in Bengaluru too, they add. When CBI special court judge, Pattabhi Ramarao granted bail to Mr Janardhan Reddy on May 12 in Hyderabad, two MLAs associated with him and a family advocate began working on a similar plan to get him out on bail in Karnataka after the Bengaluru branch of the CBI filed a chargesheet against him in the AMC case, claim sources.
It’s also alleged that it was on the advice of judge Pattabhi Ramarao that the services of senior counsel, Ram Jethmalani were hired for Mr Janardhan Reddy to make it seem that he had got bail because of his persuasive arguments in court. Mr Jethmalani was brought to the CBI special court in Bengaluru on May 23 by cutting short his Europe tour to argue on behalf of Mr Reddy in the AMC case, but the CBI special court refused to grant him bail and extended his judicial custody to June 5 instead.
Meanwhile , the two MLAs from Bellary who are allegedly involved in the matter, are reportedly afraid they could be arrested as the CBI, Hyderabad branch reportedly has audio recordings and even CCTV footage to prove the involvement of everyone from politicians to petty rowdy sheeters in the case.