The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday told the Supreme Court that the family of TDP supremo and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is threatening to take action against officers giving statements against him in connection with criminal cases lodged against him.
Representing the Andhra Pradesh government, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi made the submission before a bench of Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Pankaj Mithal. The Senior Advocate raised concerns that these threats were being issued to officials in view of the upcoming state elections.
Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi said that the family of Chandrababu Naidu is openly saying that after they come to power, they will take action against all officers who gave statements against them.
Subsequently, the Supreme Court granted two weeks for Chandrababu Naidu to respond to the aforesaid allegation, adding that the Andhra Pradesh government can file a rejoinder to Naidu’s response within a week thereafter. The matter has been scheduled for hearing on March 19.
The top court bench was hearing a plea moved by the Andhra Pradesh government against the November 3 Andhra Pradesh High Court decision to grant Chandrababu Naidu bail in the Skill development programme scam.
The Supreme Court earlier had lifted a directive by the High Court to the former Chief Minister to not take part in public rallies and meetings as a part of bail conditions. Nonetheless, it clarified that the condition imposed by the High Court requiring the Telegu Desam Party (TDP) leader not to make public comments or speak to media about the matter, would remain.
Earlier in January, Chandrababu Naidu’s plea in the skill development case was referred to a larger bench in view of a disagreement between Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi on the interpretation of Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, a prior sanction requirement introduced by an amendment in 2018, and its applicability to Naidu.