Vijayawada ACB court extended Telugu Desam Party (TDP)
Chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s remand in the alleged multi-crore skill development
scam case till November 1.
Chandrababu Naidu was presented virtually before the
court from the Rajahmundry Central Prison.
The former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief
was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), in connection with
the multi-crore skill development scam case, on September 9.
It led to a political turmoil in the State with
several TDP leaders alleging that the arrest was nothing but a political “witch-hunt”
and that Naidu was held on the basis of false allegations.
The Supreme Court reserved its judgment, on a plea
filed by Chandrababu Naidu seeking to quash the FIR registered against him in
the skill development scam case, on Tuesday.
Naidu had approached the Supreme Court seeking
quashing of FIR and cited Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act,
1988, to challenge his arrest by the Andhra Pradesh police’s CID in skill
development scam.
He had challenged the High Court judgment rejecting
his plea for the quashing of FIR. Naidu is currently in judicial custody.
Naidu has sought quashing of FIR registered by AP-CID
in the alleged ₹ 371 crore skill development scam on the ground that the police
did not obtain prior sanction from the Governor as mandated under the
Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act.
Meanwhile, TDP workers have been demanding the release
of Chandrababu Naidu by venting their outrage across the country through candle
marches and rallies.
TDP leaders staged a protest in Telangana’s Hyderabad,
against the arrest of the TDP Chief in the alleged skill development scam case,
on Sunday.
They tied their hands with black ropes during the
demonstration.
Chandrababu Naidu’s wife Nara Bhuvaneshwari and son
Nara Lokesh also participated in the protest.
“Justice is behind the bars today. Even though there
is no evidence, Chandrababu was illegally arrested to keep him distant from the
people. It is alleged that they are conspiring to threaten Chandrababu’s life
by keeping him in judicial remand while managing the systems,” said Nara Lokesh.
ANI
