Chandrababu Naidu's Family Threatening Officers Speaking Against Him: Andhra Govt Tells SC

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for the Andhra government told the court that the family members of Naidu are threatening to take action against officers giving statements against him

The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday urged the Supreme Court to quash high court order granting regular bail to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and former CM Chandrababu Naidu in the skill development scam case.

A Bench of Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Pankaj Mithal heard the matter today.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for the Andhra government told the court that the family members of Naidu are threatening to take action against officers giving statements against him once they come back to power after the upcoming Assembly elections.

Rohatgi said that  there is a "very serious and disturbing development" in the case. 

"Family of accused is saying publicly that they have noted the names of all officers of govt and will take action when they come to power."

However, Justice Trivedi asked Rohatgi to argue on merits and the court will not hear anything that is not a part of the record.

To this, Rohatgi replied that the Andhra government will file an additional affidavit in the case.

The top court gave Naidu two weeks to respond to these allegations. The court further said that the Andhra government can file a rejoinder to Naidu's reply within a week thereafter. The case will be taken up again on March 19.

In Novemeber 2023, the Andhra Pradesh High Court granted bail to former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in the skill development program scam case. 

Earlier, January the another bench of the Supreme Court had dismissed a petition filed bt the Andhra government against anticipatory bail to Naidu in the Amaravati Inner Ring Road scam case.

A bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta had dismissed the petition that an appeal in the case arising from the same FIR involving other accused, was already dismissed by the apex court last year. It said in view of the earlier order passed by the top court, the bench is not inclined to entertain the appeal of the state government. However, the bench clarified that the Andhra government would be at liberty to move for cancellation of bail in the lower courts.