Cash-for-bail case: Sreeramulu to appear before ACB Tuesday

Founder of BSR Congress B Sreeramulu, who was served notice by the Anti-Corruption Bureau police from Andhra Pradesh, today said he would appear before it Tuesday.

"I would appear before ACB in Hyderabad Tuesday and cooperate with the authorities investigating the case (cash-for-bail scandal)," he told reporters here.

Sreeramulu said he has faith in the judiciary and respect for the law of the country.

Asked if there was any conspiracy against him, Sreeramulu declined to comment.

Sreeramulu dismissed apprehensions that it would hit his party's prospects in the future.

In its remand report in the court after the arrest of BJP's Kampli MLA T H Suresh Babu on July 31, ACB had claimed that Sreeramulu had called up Babu, his nephew, on April 21.

Sreeramulu allegedly told Babu that R Suryaprakash Babu from Hyderabad knew some judges and was ready to help for procuring bail for Gali Janardhan Reddy, jailed in illegal mining scam.

Apart from Suresh Babu, ACB has also arrested Janardhan Reddy's brother and Bellary MLA Gali Somashekhar Reddy, who is accused of striking the deal and bribing judge T Pattabhirama Rao (now supsended) for grant of bail to the mining baron.

Pattabhirama Rao granted bail to Reddy in May, but rejected the bail plea of suspended IAS officer Y Srilakshmi in the same case, on the same day.

Amid allegations of bribery, Andhra Pradesh High Court suspended Rao on May 31, and handed over the case to ACB.