Cash-for-bail case: Anti-Corruption Bureau arrests another judge K Lakshminarasimha Rao in Andhra Pradesh

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) today arrested another judge in connection with the cash-for-bail case involving former Karnataka Minister and mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy, an accused in the illegal mining case.

K Lakshminarasimha Rao, chief judge of city small causes court, was arrested by the ACB officials who had questioned him yesterday at his residence at Hyderguda.

Rao also worked as the registrar of High Court. Lakshminarasimha Rao is the sixth person and second judge in service arrested in the case by the ACB, after an alleged deal for Rs 10 crore was exposed by the Central Investigation Bureau (CBI) last month.

ACB Director General B Prasada Rao said the arrested judge will be produced in the court today.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court yesterday placed Lakshminarasimha Rao under suspension after the ACB sleuths conducted searches at his house as his name cropped up during interrogation of one of the arrested accused in the case.He is the third judge to be suspended by the HC in connection with the scandal.

Earlier, judge T Patattabhirama Rao was arrested who had granted bail to Gali Janardhan Reddy. He was First Additional Special Judge for CBI cases.

The HC had also suspended Prabhakar Rao, a Family Court-cum-3rd Additional District and Sessions Judge of Srikakulam, last week.

"We are still examining the role of Prabhakar Rao," Prasada Rao told reporters.

The ACB, which registered a case against Pattabhi and seven others under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act on June 9, had already arrested Pattabhi, his son Ravichandra, retired judge T V Chalapathi Rao, rowdy sheeter Yadagiri Rao and Ravi Suryaprakash Babu, a realtor.