8.6.2012 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh High Court today transferred the cash-for-bail scandal case of suspended CBI first Additional Judge T Pattabhrama Rao to ACB from the CBI involving former Karnataka BJP Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy in the OMC scam.

The ACB immediately swung into action and sought from CBI the complete report of the case before filing the First Information Report.

The ACB is expected to arrest the suspended Judge, his son and others after filing the FIR.

The case related to Mr Janardhan Reddy, granted bail by the Judge on May 11 after one Cabinet Minister from Andhra Pradesh, two legislators from Karnataka, the ex-judge Chalapathi Rao and a rowdy sheeter played a key role in striking the deal. Growing suspicious of the CBI Judge's action of granting bail to Mr Reddy in the Obulapuram Mining Company case and refusing bail to suspended IAS officer Srilakshmi in the case, the CBI had started investigations after getting a go-ahead from the then High Court Chief Justice Madan B Lokur.

The investigators tapped the judge's phone and questioned him, his son and others.

After preliminary investigations, the matter was informed to the then Chief Justice, who suspended the judge on June 1.

Reddy's brother and Karnataka legislator G Somasekhara Reddy allegedly met the middlemen in a hotel here to finally strike the deal.

Andhra Pradesh Law Minister E Pratap Reddy, who is a relative of Janardhana Reddy, had denied that he played a role in Judge's bribery case.

The Judge reportedly demanded Rs 15 crore for grant of bail to Reddy after he was arrested by the CBI at Bellary in the neighbouring Karnataka state on September 5, 2011.

Janardhana Reddy's relatives and followers allegedly bargained with Rao for payment of Rs 5 crore but a deal was finally struck for Rs 10 crore.

An advance of Rs 3 crore was allegedly delivered to Mr Rao before the judgement was given and the balance was to be paid later.

The CBI had also recovered nearly Rs 2 crore from a nationalised bank in Ashok Nagar here after the money allegedly received by the judge was deposited in the bank. UNI