VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday denied anticipatory bail to Nandigam Rani, accused in the Harshitha School scam, in which over Rs 33 crore was allegedly collected from the public under the pretext of school investments.
Justice Y Lakshmana Rao said serious economic offences threaten financial stability and that granting bail could allow the accused to tamper with evidence and obstruct the investigation.
He ruled that Rani, who played a key role in mobilising funds, did not merit pre-arrest bail.
Meanwhile, the court granted conditional anticipatory bail to other accused Nandigam Lakshmi Harshita, Gavirni Krishna Rao, Gavirni Ramesh, Gavirni Suresh and Gavirni Yagnavalli.
“Each must submit three sureties of Rs 2 lakh, appear before the investigation officer every Saturday, surrender passports, avoid influencing witnesses and not leave the district without permission,” the HC ordered. The Andhra Pradesh CID registered a case in August last year based on a complaint by Korrapati Chandrasekhar.