AP High Court grants bail to Chandrababu Naidu: Skill Development Scam

Chandrababu Naidu

Chandrababu Naidu has been given regular bail by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, in connection with the alleged ₹ 371 crore Skill Development Corporation scam case. Last month the ex-Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister was given interim medical bail for four weeks to have cataract surgery on his right eye.

Chandrababu Naidu : Skill Development Case

The former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister – arrested over two months ago – is already out of jail; last month Chandrababu Naidu was given interim medical bail for four weeks to have cataract surgery on his right eye. He was arrested by the State Crime Investigation Department (CID) on September 9 in Nandhyala in connection with the alleged fraud in the skill development programme launched when he was Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh during 2014-2019.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday, 20 November, granted regular bail to former state chief minister Chandrababu Naidu in the skill development case. Chandrababu Naidu is currently on interim bail till 28 November on health grounds.

The Telugu Desam Party

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president was under judicial remand for allegedly misappropriating funds from the Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation. Mr Chandrababu Naidu will now not have to return to jail on November 28, as previously ordered.

Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday granted bail to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Chief and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu in the skill development fraud case. 

Chandrababu Naidu is currently on a conditional interim bail granted by the High Court on October 31 for four weeks on health grounds and the court had ordered that he should not participate in political rallies and speak to the media on the case.. 

READ | Chandrababu Naidu Gets Interim Bail For 4 Weeks In Skills Development Case

Significantly, Mr Chandrababu Naidu was also given the all-clear to participate in political activities. The green light comes too late for this weekend’s election in neighbouring Telangana, which votes on November 30.

However, Mr Chandrababu Naidu is likely to make a statement on his arrest – which was vociferously protested by his party cadre, supporters and family – and against his rivals, the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi.

Chandrababu Naidu on Monday was granted regular bail by the Andhra Pradesh high court in the skill development case, ANI reported. The Telugu Desam Party chief is on interim bail till November 28.

On October 31, the high court granted a four-week interim bail to the former Andhra Pradesh chief minister on medical grounds.

READ | “When I Was In Trouble…”: Out On Bail, Chandrababu Naidu’s Message

On his release on medical bail, he had said: “When I was in trouble, you took to the streets and prayed for me. I will never forget this… not only in Andhra Pradesh but also Telangana and across the world.”

Last month the TDP opted out of the Telangana election because Mr Chandrababu Naidu was, then, still in jail.

A senior party leader told NDTV the decision was taken after a meeting between the TDP’s state boss, Kasani Gnaneswar and Mr Chandrababu Naidu, who was then in the Rajahmundry Central Jail.

The TDP boss reportedly said that with him behind bars, it may not be possible for the leadership to campaign in Telangana and therefore Mr Gnaneswar must explain to the cadre these circumstances.

The TDP has some support in Telangana – because of which it won 15 seats in the 2014 Assembly election and two in the 2018. However, the elected MLAs later shifted loyalty to the ruling party.

READ | The ₹ 371-Crore Scam That Led To Chandrababu Naidu’s Arrest: Explained

Mr Chandrababu Naidu’s Telangana’s supporters are upset with the BRS because it did not condemn his arrest, and because they were not allowed to hold a protest in his support in the Hitech City area.

Mr Chandrababu Naidu’s arrest last month triggered political turmoil and led to violent clashes. Party leaders condemned Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government for the “witch hunt”.

READ | “Should Call For Civil War”: Chandrababu Naidu’s Son To NDTV

Chandrababu Naidu son, Nara Lokesh, spoke to NDTV and declared “I should call for a civil war”, to both force the release of his father and expose Andhra Pradesh’s “corrupt” ruling YSR Congress Party. The Telangana election result will be declared on December 3.

Andhra Pradesh High Court today granted regular bail to former Chief Minister and TDP (Telugu Desam Party) Chief Chandrababu Naidu in the multi-crore Skill development case.

Justice T Mallikarjun Rao said that from the material available on record it cannot be definitively concluded that the misappropriated amounts were diverted to the Telugu Desam Party’s bank accounts.

State’s crime investigation department claimed the former chief minister played a key role in the alleged embezzlement of around Rs 371 crore from the Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation through fictitious companies during the Telugu Desam Party’s rule between 2014 and 2019.

However, Court noted it is not prosecution’s case that SIEMENS and Design Tech, parties to a Memorandum of Agreement with APSSDC, failed to deliver high-end technology to trainers.

Court also said that Naidu cannot be held accountable for the discrepancies highlighted in Forensic Audit report as per which out of the Rs.371 Crores, at least Rs.241 Crores were misappropriated by SISW and Design Tech diverted to various shell companies.

“The Prosecution needs to clarify how the petitioner can be held responsible for such discrepancies, as it is not his duty, as the then Chief Minister, to verify and compare parties’ signatures…It remains to be clarified how the differences outlined in the report can be deemed the fundamental cause for the alleged misappropriation of funds.”

While granting bail, Court refused to continue the restriction imposed upon Naidu to not give any press interviews including both print and digital media nor make any public comments in connection with this case. It said, “While disposing of regular bail application, placing such conditions will have an impact on the electoral prospectus of the petitioner’s political party.”