New Delhi: In a significant relief for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the Supreme Court on Wednesday, January 15, dismissed a petition filed by the previous YSRCP-led government seeking the cancellation of his bail in the ₹371 crore skill development scam.
A division bench, headed by Justice Bela Trivedi, ruled against the plea after senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the incumbent government, stated that the prosecution agency had already filed a chargesheet, rendering the cancellation unnecessary.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court granted Naidu bail in November 2023, but the former government contested the decision in the Supreme Court. While dismissing the petition, the apex court directed Naidu to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
The court also issued a stern warning to a journalist who had filed an interlocutory plea seeking the cancellation of Naidu’s bail. “Why is he interfering in the case? If he does so again, he will face serious consequences,” the bench cautioned.
Naidu was arrested on September 9, 2023, by the Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department (CID) in connection with the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) scam. Initially denied bail by the Vijayawada Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Court, he was granted bail on October 31, 2023, for medical reasons and later secured regular bail on November 20, 2023.
Despite this, the YSRCP government challenged the high court’s decision in the Supreme Court, which has now upheld the bail order.
Naidu faces multiple legal battles beyond the skill development case, including charges related to the Amaravati Inner Ring Road project, the Andhra Pradesh FiberNet project, Punganur violence, sand policy irregularities, and liquor policy issues.
The Crime Investigation Department (CID) continues its investigations, with recent chargesheets filed in both the Amaravati Inner Ring Road and FiberNet cases.
This decision by the Supreme Court marks a crucial legal victory for Naidu, allowing him to focus on defending himself in the ongoing cases.
