Supreme Court Defers Hearing on Chandrababu Naidu’s Plea in Skill Development Scam Case

Supreme Court Defers Hearing on Chandrababu Naidu's Plea in Skill Development Scam Case

VoM News Desk | October 3, 2023 | 02:55 PM IST | Breaking News, Courts & Law | Follow on Google News

Supreme Court Defers Hearing on Chandrababu Naidu’s Plea in Skill Development Scam Case

Supreme Court Defers Hearing on Chandrababu Naidu’s Plea in Skill Development Scam Case

The Supreme Court has postponed the hearing on TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu’s plea challenging an Andhra Pradesh High Court order dismissing his petition to quash an FIR in the Skill Development Corporation scam case. The case will now be heard on October 9. The bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi instructed senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Andhra Pradesh government, to provide all materials presented to the high court regarding the case.

Rohatgi argued that Naidu’s request to quash the FIR should be rejected because the issue of section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act does not apply, as this provision was introduced in July 2018, while the inquiry into the case was initiated in 2017 by the CBI.

Senior advocates Harish Salve, Abhishek Singhvi, and Siddharth Luthra, representing Naidu, contended that all the allegations in the FIR are related to decisions, instructions, or recommendations made by Naidu during his tenure as the state’s chief minister. They argued that this is essentially a political case and that the provisions of section 17A should be applicable.

Luthra also pointed out that there has been a series of FIRs against Naidu, suggesting a clear case of regime change. The bench scheduled the next hearing for the following Monday.

N Chandrababu Naidu, aged 73 and the Telugu Desam Party chief, was arrested on September 9 on charges of misappropriating funds from the Skill Development Corporation during his tenure as chief minister in 2015, allegedly causing a loss of Rs 371 crore to the state exchequer. His judicial remand has been extended until October 5. The CID, in its remand report, accused Naidu of engaging in a criminal conspiracy, fraudulent misappropriation of government funds, disposal of property under a public servant’s control, cheating, forging documents, and destroying evidence.

Naidu had filed an appeal with the Supreme Court on September 23, challenging the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s decision to dismiss his petition to quash the FIR in connection with the alleged scam.

VoM News Desk

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