Andhra Pradesh Police CID officials started the interrogation of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu in a Skill Development scam case at the central prison in Rajamahendravaram on Saturday. The questioning follows the ACB court in Vijayawada granting police custody of Naidu to CID for two days for further interrogation. The Court permitted CID to interrogate from 9:30 AM to 5 PM on September 23 and 24. The court also allowed three DSPs from the Economic Offences Wing of CID, six more junior police officers, one professional videographer and two official mediators for the interrogation.
According to PTI, the court allowed Naidu to have a team of lawyers present during questioning at reasonable intervals of 5 minutes per hour. It also permitted Naidu's counsel to be present at a visible distance during custody.
The questioning of Naidu in the jail premises was allowed after taking into due consideration the former chief minister's health, age, and time constraints. This also saved Naidu from having to travel almost 200 km from Rajamahendravaram Central Prison to the CID office in Mangalagiri, thus avoiding a potentially arduous journey.
The CID was also permitted to take a video of the entire questioning of Naidu. However, it was instructed to maintain the confidentiality of the video in a sealed cover.
Additionally, Naidu will be given access to all necessary facilities, including a one-hour lunch break from 1 to 2 pm and other services like medical assistance.
After the completion of police custody, the court ordered the CID to produce Naidu almost immediately before 5 PM on Sunday.
On Friday, the Andhra Pradesh High Court dismissed former CM and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu's petition to quash the FIR against him.
On September 9, Naidu was detained for allegedly misappropriating funds from the Skill Development Corporation, causing an alleged loss to the state exchequer of more than Rs 300 crore.