Minister for Law & Courts Erasu Pratap Reddy, on Friday, dismissed media reports that linked him with the granting of bail to mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy in the illegal mining case.
Talking to media persons at the Congress Legislature Party office, Erasu Prathap Reddy condemned the media reports, that linked his name with that of a rowdy-sheeter who helped in mediating with the judicial officials to grant bail to Gali Janardhan Reddy.
Stating that he would file a defamation suit against the news channel that carried this piece of news, the minister said that he was ready to quit politics permanently if the charges against him are proved.
It may be mentioned here that after the High Court suspended CBI Court judge Pattabhi Rama Rao for granting bail to Gali Janardhan Reddy, a section of the electronic media carried reports alleging the involvement of a minister and a rowdy-sheeter in mediating with the judicial officials for the cash-for-bail scam.
He said that he would bring the matter to the notice of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy.
The minister said that he would also write a letter to the Press Council of India, seeking strong action on the channel for damaging his public image.
"I am shocked to see the media reports of my involvement. I instructed my staff to serve notices on the TV channel that telecast the news capsule first," he said.
"Just because I am related to Gali Janardhan Reddy, the media cannot attribute the bail controversy to me. In fact, I am related to Jaganmohan Reddy, too. You should see my family background, the credibility and integrity of my late father E Ayyapu Reddy, who served as a union minister, MLA and MP for several terms," he said. (INN)