Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has approached the Supreme Court to challenge the denial of anticipatory bail by the Andhra Pradesh High Court in the FiberNet scam case.
Today, a bench consisting of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela Trivedi will hear Naidu’s case. At 2 PM, the bench will also consider his petition to dismiss the FIR in the skill development scam case.
Chandrababu Naidu, the president of the Telugu Desam Party, has been accused of playing a significant role in the FiberNet scam that occurred during the TDP’s term in the State. The state crime investigation department (CID) has alleged that he pressured officials to favor a particular company that obtained the FiberNet contract, even though it lacked the necessary qualifications. Naidu was recently implicated in this case, registered in 2021. Following his arrest in the skill development scam case, the prosecution filed a petition under Section 263 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, seeking a transit warrant. While the State explained the delay in including Naidu as an accused due to challenges in examining crucial witnesses and suspects through digital means, the former chief minister claimed that this decision was politically motivated.
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This week, the Andhra Pradesh High Court dismissed Naidu’s plea for anticipatory bail in this case. The court stated that investigating complex offenses naturally takes time when addressing Naidu’s concerns about the timing of his inclusion as an accused. Justice K. Suresh Reddy held that the evidence presented by the prosecution, including the testimony of a key witness, did not support the claim of motivated timing. The judge also emphasized the importance of considering the larger public interest while deciding bail matters, rather than solely focusing on the prescribed penalties for the offense. Justice Reddy held that granting anticipatory bail to Naidu was not justified at this stage, particularly considering the gravity of the offense and the need for further investigation.
On September 9, Naidu was arrested in connection with a skill development scam, where the state crime investigation department claimed to have prima facie evidence of his significant role in the alleged embezzlement of approximately Rs 371 crore from the Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation through fictitious companies. He is the 37th accused in a 2021 FIR related to the multi-crore scam involving the state skill development corporation. He has been in custody since then.
Last month, the Andhra Pradesh High Court dismissed Naidu’s plea to quash the first information report (FIR). Naidu argued that the CID had failed to obtain prior approval from the governor, as required by Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act. However, Justice K Sreenivas Reddy ruled that prior sanction was unnecessary since the alleged misuse of public funds for personal gain did not constitute an act in the discharge of official duties. The court also recognized the seriousness of economic offenses and the need to ensure an unhindered investigation, especially at this early stage.
Currently, the Supreme Court is hearing a special leave petition regarding this order.
