The charge against the TDP supremo is that he had incited party activists into attacking the YSRCP activists and the police in Angallu.
Published Oct 13, 2023 | 2:11 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 13, 2023 | 2:11 PM
Chandrababu Naidu at an irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday, 9 August, 2023. (Supplied)
In a major relief to beleaguered former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the state high court on Friday, 13 October, granted him anticipatory bail in the Angallu violence case.
The charge against the TDP chief is that he had incited party workers into attacking the YSRCP activists and the police in Angallu in Annamaya district on 4 August. The Mudivedu police had registered a case of attempt to murder against him.
On 4 August, Naidu, as part of his Yudha Bheri programme, led a rally in Annamaya district. While the procession was on its way through the village, the YSRCP workers allegedly provoked the TDP activists.
In response, the TDP workers tried to force their way which led to the building up of tension and the subsequent violence.
The Mudivedu Police, listing Naidu as Accused No 1 (A1), charged him with an attempt to murder. The police also listed 179 TDP workers as accused in the case.
While granting the anticipatory bail to Naidu, the high court asked him to provide a surety of ₹1 lakh.
The case was registered under IPC Sections 120B, 147, 153, 307, 115, 109, 323, 324, and 506 read with Section 149.
Naidu is currently in judicial remand and has been lodged at the Rajamahendravaram Central Prison following his arrest by the Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department (CID) in the ₹371 crore Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) scam.
He was arrested in a pre-dawn sweep in Nandyal on 9 September.
Pleading for anticipatory bail to Naidu, defence counsel Posani Venkateswarlu argued that contrary to the charge against his client, it was the YSRCP activists who had rained stones on Naidu.
His security detail had protected him from the attack. Venkateswarlu also handed over video clippings of the incident in support of his argument.
The senior counsel said that the YSRCP activists who attacked the TDP workers registered the case against him four days later, with fabricated charges.
He argued that Naidu visited Angallu to inspect the irrigation facilities after obtaining police permission for his rally, and it was the YSRCP activists who created disturbances in accordance with a pre-meditated plan.
Earlier, talking to reporters in Vizianagaram, Naidu had asked how dare the state government file a case against him, the victim of the incident.
“I was attacked by some goons, and yet the case was filed against me,” said Naidu.
The defence counsel brought to the court’s attention that 79 others who are listed as accused in the case were granted bail which was later upheld by the Supreme Court too.
The prosecution, led by Additional Advocate General Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy, however, maintained that Naidu had incited violence against the YSRCP workers.
The prosecution said the as he was a former chief minister of the state, he should have acted responsibly.
Reddy argued that only after Naidu gave the direction, did the TDP workers attack the YSRCP activists. He added that there was no substance in the argument that the case registered against Naidu was politically motivated.
