Skill scam case: Andhra Pradesh High Court reserves verdict on Chandrababu Naidu’s plea for regular bail

HC reserves verdict on Naidu's plea for regular bail in skill development scam case. AAG argued against bail, citing potential influence of witnesses & violation of conditions. Luthra argued CID had no concrete evidence & forensic report was drafted to implicate Naidu. SC to deliver judgment on Naidu's petition for quashing CID FIR after Diwali vacation.

Justice T. Mallikarjuna Rao of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on November 16 reserved the verdict on Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s plea for regular bail in the skill development scam case upon conclusion of arguments by Additional Advocate General P. Sudhakar Reddy for the CID and senior advocate Siddharth Luthra on behalf of Mr. Naidu.

Mr. Sudhakar Reddy vehemently argued that Mr. Naidu should not be granted bail as he was likely to influence the witnesses, and because the investigation was at a crucial stage. Also, Mr. Naidu had violated the conditions subject to which bail was given for four weeks on health grounds, he alleged.

More importantly, the AAG said the ill-gotten money was routed into some bank accounts through hawala transactions, which was also being inquired into by the CID. 

Mr. Luthra told the court that the CID could not unearth any concrete evidence since it began probe way back in the year 2018. The forensic report was so drafted as to implicate Mr. Naidu in the case in the run-up to general elections. The field verification was itself erroneous, he maintained, while insisting that there was no reason for the CID to be in a tearing hurry to investigate after so many years.

Mr. Naidu had been arrested in the early hours of September 9 in the case and was in judicial remand till October 31, when the court gave him interim bail to get himself treated for some health issues.

Mr. Naidu should surrender before the superintendent of Rajamahendravaram Central Prison consequent to the bail expiry on November 28. The Supreme Court is scheduled to deliver its judgment on his petition for quashing the CID FIR after the Deepavali vacation.