The Supreme Court on Friday (October 20) directed the Andhra Pradesh Police not to arrest TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu in the FibreNet case till it’s verdict is out on the plea in the Skill Development scam case.
A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi listed the anticipatory bail of Naidu in the FibreNet Case for hearing on November 9.
“Let the earlier understanding continue,” the bench told the Andhra Pradesh Police.
The bench was referring to the Andhra Pradesh Police’s statement on October 13 when it had said that police will not take Naidu into custody.
Justice Bose said that it would be appropriate if the court takes up the instant plea of Naidu after the verdict is delivered since the order is reserved on another plea.
What did the lawyers argue?
Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for Naidu, said that the Andhra Pradesh Police is looking to take him into custody in the FibreNet case despite him already being in custody in the Skill Development scam case.
Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, representing the Andhra Pradesh government, said that it will seek seek permission of the court for custodial interrogation of Naidu in the FibreNet case as he is already in judicial custody in another case.
He said that the state has no problem in awaiting the judgement of the court.
The bench said, "Let the earlier understanding continue" and adjourned the matter.
Naidu's arrest in Skill Development Corporation scam case
The Andhra Pradesh Police, on October 13, told the Supreme Court that it will not arrest the TDP chief in the FiberNet case till October 18 as his petition related to the Skill Development Corporation scam is pending in the court.
The FiberNet case relates to alleged tender manipulation in allotting a work order under Phase-1 of the AP FiberNet Project involving Rs 330 crore to a favoured company.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Andhra Pradesh Police has alleged irregularities in the project right from awarding the tender to completion of the work, causing a huge loss to the state exchequer.
Naidu was arrested on September 9 for allegedly misappropriating funds from the Skill Development Corporation when he was the chief minister in 2015.
(With PTI inputs)
