The Andhra Pradesh anti-Corruption bureau has arrested suspended Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) judge Justice Pattabhi Rama Rao in the cash-for-bail case.

T. Pattabhirama Rao was picked up from his residence here early in the morning and was shifted to ACB’s headquarters for questioning. The ACB is, however, yet to announce his arrest officially. The ACB confirmed that the suspended judge was in their custody and was being questioned by a team of their officials.

The ACB, which was handed over the case by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which actually unearthed the scam, has arrested retired Judge P.V. Chalapathi Rao and Mr. Pattabhirama Rao’s son T. Ravichandra in the case on June 16.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court had suspended Mr. Pattabhirama Rao on May 31 following the allegations of illegal gratification and corruption against him for sanctioning bail to Mr. Janardhan Reddy on May 11.

The State-level probe agency which was asked to handle the case since the local Judges come under State Services had registered a case against him and seven others including Mr. Chalapathi Rao and Mr. Janardhan Reddy’s brother and Bellary City MLA Gali Somashekhar Reddy.

Mr. Pattabhirama Rao, who chaired the Special Court for ACB cases in the past would be produced in the same court after his arrest officially. He was due for retirement in February last but was given a two year extension by the High Court.

The ACB in its FIR stated that a deal was struck allegedly between Mr. Gali Janardhan Reddy and others including the judge for granting the former bail in the illegal mining case being probed by the CBI. The CBI had earlier recovered Rs. 1.60 crore cash from lockers belonging to Mr. Pattabhirama Rao and another Rs. 1.14 crore from the possession of T. Balaji Rao, brother of Mr. Chalapathi Rao.