A division bench led by Justice Bela Trivedi took the decision after senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi who appeared for the incumbent government said that there was no need for cancellation of bail granted to Naidu as the prosecution agency had already filed a charge sheet.
Published Jan 15, 2025 | 3:34 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 15, 2025 | 3:34 PM
Supreme Court of India. (iStock)
In a major relief to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the Supreme Court on Wednesday, 15 January dismissed the petition filed by the previous YSRCP government, seeking cancellation of bail granted to him in the skill development scam.
A division bench led by Justice Bela Trivedi took the decision after senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi who appeared for the incumbent government said that there was no need for cancellation of bail granted to Naidu as the prosecution agency had already filed a chargesheet.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court granted bail to Naidu in November 2023 but the then government challenged the order in the Supreme Court. The apex court, while dismissing the petition for cancellation bail, however, asked Naidu to cooperate with the prosecution agency in its investigation.
The apex court also warned a journalist who filed an interlocutory petition seeking cancellation of the bail and dismissed his plea.
“Why is he interfering in the case? In which way is he involved in this? If he interferes again, he will have to face very serious consequences,” the division bench warned.
TDP chief Naidu was arrested on 9 September 2023 by the Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department (CID) in the ₹371 crore Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) scam. On 10 September 2023, he was sent to judicial remand until 31 October 2023. He was granted bail on 31 October 2023 for undergoing cataract surgery on his right eye.
Initially, Naidu’s bail petition was rejected by the Vijayawada Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Court, prompting him to approach the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
The TDP leader was granted bail for 28 days on health grounds on 31 October 2023 and it was made a regular bail on 20 November 2023.
The Andhra Pradesh government on 21 November 2023, filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) before the Supreme Court, challenging the state high court granting bail to former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu in the multi-crore skill development scam.
Naidu faces six cases filed by the YSRCP regime: Apart from the skill development case, there are the Amaravati Inner Ring Road case, the Andhra Pradesh Fibernet case, Punganur violence case, the state sand policy case, and the liquor policy case.
On 16 February 2024, a week after filing a chargesheet against Chandrababu Naidu in the Amaravati Inner Ring Road case, the state’s Crime Investigation Department (APCID) also filed a fresh chargesheet in the FiberNet case in the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court Vijayawada.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
