The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday dismissed TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu's petition to quash the FIR against him in Skill Development Corporation scam, noting that the petition is "devoid of merit" and that it cannot interfere when the investigation is reaching its finality.
In a strongly-worded judgment, Justice K. Sreenivas Reddy observed that no sanction to prosecute Naidu is required as use of public funds "under the colour of authority but really for his own benefit" cannot be considered as an act that flows out of discharge of his official duties.
The petition challenged the Anti-Corruption Board Court order remanding him to 14-day judicial custody in connection with the alleged scam. However, Naidu's team maintained that the former Andhra Chief Minister's name was not mentioned in the chargesheet which was filed in 2021. It further claimed that no case is made out against him as the project is up and running and it could not be said that public money was misappropriated, according to a report by LiveLaw.
Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and Telugu Desam Party Chief, Chandrababu Naidu was arrested by the CID on September 2, in connection with an alleged Rs 371 crore fraud case involving siphoning off funds from Skill Development Corporation. The case dates back to 2014. His team is now likely to seek for Supreme Court's intervention in his release.
Meanwhile, a court in Vijayawada extended Naidu's remand in the case until September 24. He is currently lodged in the Rajamahendravaram central prison.
Ruckus in AP assembly
TDP leaders continued their protest against Naidu's arrest in the state assembly session on Friday. As soon as the question hour commenced to discuss the estimates of Relief and Rehabilitation to Mulapeta Port, the TDP MLAs rushed to the Speaker’s podium and surrounded Tammineni Sitaram.
The assembly proceedings were disrupted for second day in a row. They raised slogans demanding withdrawal of cases registered against the former CM and sought discussion on the matter. Speaker Tammineni Sitaram suspended TDP MLAs K Atchannaidu and B Ashok for the entire session.
