Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department (CID) produced former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu before the ACB Court here on Sunday morning, 24 hours after he was arrested in the Skill Development Corporation ‘scam’ case.
Amid tight security, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo was brought to the court complex from the SIT office, where he was kept the entire night. The CID has submitted a remand report to the court after including Naidu’s name in the FIR as the prime accused.
He was listed as 37th accused in the FIR registered in 2021. Arguments are continuing on the remand report.
Senior Supreme Court advocate Sidharth Luthra is representing Naidu in the case while Additional Advocate General P. Sudhakar Reddy is arguing the case on behalf of the CID, which sought Naidu’s remand for 15 days.
The TDP legal team’s request to conduct an open hearing was accepted by the judge. Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh and TDP leaders were present in the court.
Naidu, who was arrested in Nandyal town early Saturday, was brought to Vijayawada on Saturday evening. Since then the CID officials have continued questioning him at the SIT office.
TDP leaders alleged that the police deliberately delayed the process of producing him in court and denied him sleep.
The former Chief Minister was shifted to Vijayawada Government Hospital around 3 a.m. for medical examination. After the medical examination, Naidu was taken back to the SIT office around 5 a.m. though his family members and the TDP leaders were hoping that he would be taken to court. An hour later, Naidu was brought to the ACB Court.
Police made tight security around the court complex. TDP leaders who had gathered there were removed by the police.
The CID has arrested Naidu in Rs 331 crore Skill Development Corporation ‘scam’, which allegedly took place between 2014 and 2018 when he was the Chief Minister.
According to the CID, public funds were released and diverted to shell companies. It alleged that Naidu and TDP were the ultimate beneficiaries.
—IANS