How the CBI judge Pattabhi was lured?
Hyderabad: Former judge T V Chalapathi Rao was not the first person to approach suspended special judge T Pattabhirama Rao offering huge amount of bribe in return for granting bail to Gali Janardhana Reddy.
According to Pattabhi's confession, an employee of the State Election Commission (SEC) approached him first offering Rs 10 crore for the favour of granting bail to Janardhana Reddy, arrested in the illegal mining case.
'However, I refused the offer as I did not trust the person making the offer. Later, I was impressed with a similar offer made by Chalapathi Rao as he was a retired judge and trustworthy,' the suspended judge told Anti- Corruption Bureau officials.
He also told them that though he was offered Rs 10 crore, he was ditched and given only Rs 1 crore.
Pattabhi further told the ACB officials that the SEC official came to him after bail was given to Janardhana Reddy on May 11 and picked up an altercation for not accepting his offer.
'He accused me of accepting a similar offer from others and depriving him of the benefit of making huge money to the tune of crore of rupees', the suspended judge confessed to the ACB officials.
Sources said Pattabhi strongly believes that the SEC official was behind the leak of information that led to his suspension and subsequent arrest.
Sources also said that a senior advocate had played a key role in the deal but the investigators were not even able to question him since he was being shielded by a powerful political leader.
Meanwhile, sources said P Yadagiri, named as one of the accused in the FIR, retained Rs 6.5 crore with him and was yet to be traced.
Sources further said the bribe money was given by G Dasaratha Rami Reddy of GDR Builders of Bengaluru on the instructions of Gali Somasekhara Reddy ' both listed as accused in the case. ACB officials said efforts were underway to arrest the absconding accused.
News Posted: 21 June, 2012
|
