By- Staff Reporter | Date- June 02, 2012
Andhra Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Madan Lokur has suspended and ordered a probe against a special CBI judge accused of taking a bribe to grunt bail to G Janardhana Reddy in the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) illegal mining case.
First Additional CBI Judge T P Rama Rao granted Reddy’s bail on May 12. Reddy, however, remains in Bangalore jail in another illegal mining case. CBI challenged Rao’s decision in the high court, which suspended the bail until June 05, 2012.
Rao was suspended after the CBI lodged a complaint with the Chief Justice along with proof of bank lockers belonging to the judge’s relatives where the money was kept.
The suspension on corruption and bribery charges will remain in force until the conclusion of the proposed disciplinary proceedings.
CBI claimed that nearly Rs 1 crore 80 Lakhs in cash was recovered from a bank locker here, the keys of which were allegedly in the possession of Rao’s son.
The agency had carried out a search of the locker following a source-based input that a deal had allegedly been struck between Rao and Reddy, as a result of which the latter would get bail in the illegal mining case.
Registrar General (Vigilance), who issued the order against Rao on Thursday night, said that after considering the information received, the high court had decided that it was necessary to place him under suspension in the public interest with immediate effect.