Hyderabad, July 24: Former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy, currently in jail in an illegal mining case, wanted to come out on bail at "any cost", claims his relative Dasarath Rami Reddy, who was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau on Sunday in connection with the cash-for-bail scam. Here are the latest developments in this story so far: 1) In in his statement to the ACB, Dasarath Rami Reddy has said that the talks about arranging bail for the former minister began when he met him at the Chanchalguda Jail in Hyderabad. He claims that Mr Reddy told him that he wanted to get out of the prison "at any cost." NDTV has access to a copy of his statement.
2) Dasarath Rami Reddy has also alleged that former judge Lakshmi Narasimha Rao, who is one of the three judges arrested in the case, had demanded Rs. 100 crore to arrange for bail. He has confessed that that Mr Reddy's family had agreed to pay the money, but thought it would be difficult to transport such a huge amount from Bellary to Hyderabad because by-elections were being held in Andhra Pradesh at the time.
2) Dasarath Rami Reddy has told his interrogators that he met judge Lakshmi Narasimha Rao through Krishna Prasad, a realtor from Ongole. He however added that a deal was struck for Rs. 15-20 crore through other mediators.
3) He has confessed that he arranged the money along with Mr Reddy's brother Somasekhara Reddy.
5) Contrary to Dasarath Rami Reddy's claim, judge Lakshmi Narasimha Rao has alleged that it was in fact the ex-minister's relative who offered him Rs. 100 crore.
6) Gali Janardhana Reddy was arrested in Bellary on September 5, 2011 because a mining company owned by him in Andhra Pradesh allegedly violated several laws. The politician was moved to a Karnataka jail in March for another illegal mining case.
7) His case in Andhra Pradesh was being heard by Pattabhi Rama Rao, who headed a special CBI court in Hyderabad. He granted bail to Mr Reddy on May 11.
8) The CBI later found that the judge had received a kickback of several crores from representatives of Mr Reddy. The judge, Pattabhi Rama Rao, was arrested on June 19, and the Andhra Pradesh High Court cancelled the politician's bail a few days later.
9) CCTV footage at a local hotel showed Mr Reddy's brother, Somasekhar Reddy, and others meeting the judge's son in a hotel in Hyderabad. After that, money was found in the bank lockers and home of the judge and his associates.
10) The CBI and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) have filed a case against eight people for the bail-for-sale scam. They include Mr Reddy's brother, Somasekhara Reddy, and Suresh Babu, both legislators from Karnataka.
