Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Aug 27: Former CBI special judge B Naga Maruti Sarma was offered Rs 40 crore for setting mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy free on bail. However, he refused the offer outright. On August 26, Sarma who is now a witness in the infamous cash-for-bail case, in which his successor T Pattabhi Rama Rao and a High Court judicial officer are trapped, deposed before the ACB court principal special judge about the offer made to him.

Sarma said that AP High Court registrar (enquirers) K Lakshmi Narasimha Rao made the alleged offer on behalf of Gali’s men in April 2012. Reddy who was arrested in September 2011 in the illegal mining case was under judicial custody in Chanchalgunda jail at that time.

Gali Janardhan Reddy

Sarma said that Rao, who was his senior, said he wanted to meet him. Hence, Sarma visited his house on the morning of April 18, 2012. It is here, Rao spoke on the ‘cash-for-bail’ proposal. However, Sarma said he told Rao that the proposal deviates him from path of law which for him is equal to death. Sarma said he immediately left the house, bluntly declining the offer.

Sarma later dismissed Reddy’s bail plea. Subsequently, T Pattabhi Rama Rao became the CBI special judge and he granted bail for Reddy. However, he was caught by a joint operation by CBI and ACB for allegedly accepting bribe and was imprisoned. Lakshmi Narasimha Rao was also arrested by ACB in July 2012.

The ACB special court (Hyderabad) which recorded Sarma’s testimony have posted the case for further hearing on September 13. Reddy was present in court when Sarma testified. In the next hearing, Reddy’s counsel will most likely cross-examine Sarma.