AP Skill Development Scam: TDP moves HC for Naidu’s bail, quashing of case

Vijayawada: TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s legal team approached Andhra Pradesh High Court for his bail. They also filed a separate plea seeking quashing of the case.

This comes after a local court in Vijayawada rejected the house custody of the former chief minister.

They are likely to come up for a hearing on Wednesday.

The former chief minister was arrested for his alleged role in a multi-crore Skill Development Corporation scam and is currently lodged at Rajamahendravaram Central Prison after the court in Vijayawada remanded Naidu in judicial custody for 14 days on Sunday.

On Monday, a team of lawyers headed by senior counsel Siddharth Luthra representing Naidu had filed a petition to grant house custody to the former CM, citing threat perception.

Naidu has been a Z-plus category security protectee for several years already, with a team of NSG commandos guarding him always.

The court did not permit house arrest citing security, Naidu's lawyer Jayakar Matta told PTI.

According to Matta, the court felt that Z-plus security would not be provided under house arrest, so it is safer for Naidu to stay in jail than at home under house custody.

Further, the court said it could have given house custody if it was possible to successfully provide Z-plus security to Naidu. The court said the jail is better for security reasons.

The court had no objection to according house custody, provided Z-plus security was also being extended inside Naidu's residence.

Meanwhile, the 73-year-old former chief minister's wife Nara Bhuvaneswari visited Naidu in prison on Tuesday and noted that she fears for Naidu's security in confinement.

Naidu's family meets him in jail

Naidu met his family at the Rajamahendravaram Central Jail on Tuesday. His wife Bhuvaneshwari spoke to the media following their visit.

"I am apprehensive of his security. I have not seen any facilities. He had to bathe with cold water," she said, saying her husband's arrest has put their family into "tough times". She said Naidu always says people first, family next, and he is being kept in the same building (prison) that he built during his regime.

Bhuvaneswari requested that people come out and fight for their leader.

CID says Naidu given exclusive ward

However, the CID's legal team argued in the court that adhering to orders, several steps were taken such as creating a separate and exclusive ward, special security cover, round-the-clock monitoring, video surveillance, medical team on standby, and others.

CID lawyers stressed that Naidu's ward has been separated from the main prison block to ensure a sanitized area, especially considering the special security requirements of the detainee.

They also said that additional precautions were taken in accordance with the need for a special security cover for Naidu -- who was the longest-serving Andhra CM -- including deploying armed guards outside the special ward.

They said that strict access controls have been set up and only with the prior consent of Naidu can anybody visit him. The CID lawyers also informed the court that senior prison officials, led by Rajamahendravaram Central Prison's superintendent, are present round-the-clock for personal supervision of security and other arrangements.

Besides 24/7 video surveillance, they stressed that a team of doctors had been stationed near the ward and that they were complying with all the directions of the court.

Inputs from PTI