Skill Development Corp scam: SC reserves verdict on Naidu's plea against HC order

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on former Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu's petition challenging a high court order refusing to quash the FIR against him in the Skill Development Corporation scam case.

A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi reserved its verdict after hearing the submissions of senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Naidu, Mukul Rohatgi, who represented the state government.

Naidu, 73, was arrested on September 9 for allegedly misappropriating funds from the Skill Development Corporation when he was the chief minister in 2015, causing a purported loss of Rs 371 crore to the state exchequer. He is under judicial remand and lodged in the Rajamahendravaram central prison.

The CID, in its remand report, alleged that Naidu "indulged in a criminal conspiracy with the intention of fraudulent misappropriation or otherwise conversion of government funds for his own use, disposal of property which was under the control of a public servant, besides engaging in cheating, forging documents and destroying evidence".

While dismissing his petition, the Andhra Pradesh High Court had on September 22 said criminal proceedings ought not to be scuttled at the initial stage and quashing an FIR should be an exception rather than the rule.