Naidu cited an instance when a drone was flown over the prison by unidentified miscreants to capture his movements.
VIjayawada court complex, where the ACB Court is located.
TDP national president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has requested the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Court in Vijayawada to ensure foolproof security to him in and around Rajamahendravaram Central Prison.
In a letter to the court on Wednesday, 25 October — which was released to the media on Friday — he has sought security commensurate with the Z+ Category cover to which he is entitled.
Naidu is currently lodged in prison after being arrested in connection with the ₹371 crore Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) scam.
In his letter to the Special Judge for Special Police Establishment (SPE) and ACB cases BSV Hima Bindu, Naidu brought up a few untoward incidents that occurred in and around Rajamahendravaram Central Prison in the recent past for the court’s consideration.
He described these incidents as “having the tendency to endanger my life and limb despite being a Z+ category security protectee”.
Noting that he was sent to judicial remand on 10 September, and brought to Rajamahendravaram prison in the intervening night of 10-11 September, he said that he “was unauthorisedly videographed and photographed while entering the prison, and while in the prison complex”.
According to Naidu, the footage was leaked by the police themselves. Those images were widely circulated or publicised on social media platforms by the party in power “with a malicious intention to damage my reputation and image in the eyes of the people, throwing security to the winds”.
Naidu said it came to his notice that an anonymous letter was received by the Superintendent of Police (SP) East Godavari and the jail authorities in which it was written that some Left-wing extremists were planning to assassinate him and crores of rupees had changed hands to execute that assassination bid.
He claimed that the police authorities have not, as yet, made any attempt to inquire about the veracity of the letter.
He further said: “It came to my notice that one remand prisoner in an NDPS [Narcotic-Drugs and Psychotropic Substances] case from S Kota was roaming in the prison with a pen camera, capturing pictures of the prisoners inside.”
He further claimed that a drone was flown over the prison by unidentified miscreants to capture his movements with a sinister design at the instance of the people in power.
Naidu alleged that even after the drone came near the open jail where some prisoners were lodged, the local police had not taken any step till now to find those who were behind it.
“This incident blatantly exposes the naked truth that jail authorities are helpless. Ganja packets were thrown into the prison by miscreants and they were caught red-handed by some prisoners who were in the garden. Out of the total 2,200 prisoners lodged inside the central prison in Rajamahendravaram, 750 are in alleged NDPS offences posing a grave threat to my security,” Naidu said in the letter.
He said that another drone was flown over the main gate of the prison on 6 October to capture images of his family members who were coming out after meeting him.
This incident underlined the risk not only to him but also to his family members, the letter said.
He claimed in the letter that the cadres of the ruling YSRCP party, with the overt support of the police, tried to attack him several times during his visits to several places in the last four-and-a-half years.
He further alleged that the attempted attacks occurred when he was at different places to expose the anti-people and anarchic policies of the incumbent government and the chief minister. He listed “a few among many instances to illustrate the fact that my security is in grave peril due to the acts of the present government and the leaders of the ruling party”.
According to Naidu, after the government of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy assumed power, it scaled down his existing security cover with effect from 25 June, 2019. He added that the original security cover was restored only after the intervention of the state high court.
On 28 November, 2019, Naidu undertook the tour of the capital city project, Amaravati. The ruling party cadres attacked his bus by pelting stones, chappals, and other objects. The then DGP “unashamedly described” the incident as an expression of democratic dissent by the ruling party cadre, he said.
On 4 November, 2022, when Naidu visited Nandigama in the NTR District, stones were hurled targeting him after shutting down power. He said that his Chief Security Officer (CSO) sustained injuries.
On 21 April, 2023, when Naidu was on a tour to Yerragondapalem in the Prakasam district to address a public meeting, the stone pelting there led to injuries to one NSG Commando.
On 4 August, 2023, Naidu was on a tour of irrigation projects in the Annamayya district and as part of the tour of irrigation projects in the state. He said when he reached Angallu Junction in the district., the YSRCP cadre organised a protest by wearing black clothes.
He claimed that they deliberately provoked TDP sympathisers and activists, brutally attacked them and foisted a false case against all of them, including Naidu, under Section 307 IPC.
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