HC grants bail to Gali in cash-for-bail scam

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday granted bail to mining baron and former Karnataka Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy in the cash-for-bail scam case. 

Gali's bail plea in the cash-for-bail case was earlier rejected by the Anti-Corruption Court. Subsequently, he approached the High Court and secured bail on Wednesday. However, Gali will continue to be lodged in the Chanchalguda Jail as he was accused in the illegal mining cases of Obulapuram Mining Company and AMC. 

The ACB in its first charge sheet filed before the ACB Court on August 13 has named Gali as an accused and charged him of entering into a conspiracy to secure by bribing the judge. The second charge in the case was filed on September 6. In the supplementary charge sheet filed last week, the ACB named Gali as an accused in the first case registered against the suspended CBI Judge T Pattabhirama Rao and seven others. 

It may be mentioned that the High Court has already granted bail to Pattabhirama Rao, his son, two other serving judges and a retired judge. Janardhana Reddy's brother G Somasekhara Reddy and his relative TH Suresh Babu, both members of the Karnataka assembly, were also released on bail. 

The ACB had alleged that Pattabhirama Rao granted bail to Janardhana Reddy in the OMC case in May after receiving a bribe of Rs 9.5 crore bribe from his relatives through a rowdy sheeter. After the scam was exposed, the judge was suspended by the High Court.