An 11-judge bench of Patna High Court has withdrawn all cases from a fellow judge who ordered a CBI investigation into alleged corruption in Bihar’s lower judiciary.

The judge, Justice Rakesh Kumar, had in the same order mentioned instances of corruption in the judiciary, including the high court.

A notice issued by the 11-judge bench, which includes Chief Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi, said on Thursday: “All the matters pending before Hon’ble Justice Rakesh Kumar, sitting singly including tied-up/part-heard or otherwise, stands withdrawn with immediate effect.”

Justice Kumar had asked the high court registry to communicate his order to the Chief Justice of India, the PMO and the CBI director, but the bench stopped it.

Justice Kumar ordered the CBI probe on Wednesday when he came to know that former IAS officer K.P. Ramaiah, accused of siphoning off Rs 2.5 crore, had been granted bail. Justice Kumar had rejected his anticipatory bail plea in March last year but no action was taken against him.

Ramaiah surrendered before a vigilance court three months ago and was immediately granted bail by a judge standing in for the special vigilance judge who was on leave on that particular day.