The Andhra Pradesh Police Crime Investigation Department (CID) has filed a petition in the court seeking 15 days of custody of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party leader N Chandrababu Naidu, who has been remanded to 14-day judicial custody in a multi-crore scam, said an official, as per a PTI report. The petition was filed on Monday while it is expected to come up for hearing on Wednesday, the official said.
“Most probably the day after tomorrow(Wednesday) the petition will come for hearing,” Additional Advocate General Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy told the news agency.
Reddy said that Naidu's custody has been sought for 15 days but observed that it is the discretion of the court to take a call on the duration of custody.
“We can only seek police custody for some days but finally when it comes to hearing the court will decide,” he said, the PTI report added.
Court Verdict On Naidu’s House Custody
On Monday, the former Andhra CM’s legal team filed a petition to secure an early release for him from the jail and procure house custody. Vijayawada’s Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) Court witnessed elaborate arguments on this petition.
The TDP chief’s legal team is awaiting judgment on its petition seeking house custody, which is expected to be pronounced on Tuesday.
Supreme Court lawyer Siddarth Luthra along with the team of legal experts expressed concerns over the security of Naidu in the prison in their arguments, while the same was opposed by the CID, according to the PTI report stated above.
Naidu was remanded for a judicial custody of 14 days by a local court in Vijayawada.
Currently, the former chief minister is lodged in the Rajamahendravaram Central Prison in East Godavari district.
Naidu Arrested Under ‘Political Controversy’: TDP
Telugu Desam Party leader Buchaiah Chowdary on Tuesday claimed that Naidu was arrested under a "political controversy". Targeting CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Chowdary called him a "political criminal".
"...There is no illegal activity in the process. Still, they sent him (N Chandrababu Naidu) to jail...They sent him to jail under a political conspiracy. Jagan Mohan Reddy is a political criminal...It (case) is not maintainable. He may get bail anytime. It is illegal. People are with Chandrababu. Everybody knows that he is an honest person..." TDP leader Buchaiah Chowdary said.