Skill development case: SC dismisses plea to cancel Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu’s bail

The Supreme Court bench was hearing an appeal by the Andhra Pradesh government against the High Court's 3 November 2023 order granting bail to Naidu in the SDC scam case.
Supreme Court of India
Supreme Court of India(File Photo | EPS)
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the Andhra Pradesh government's appeal, filed during Jagan Mohan Reddy's tenure as Chief Minister, seeking to cancel the bail of N Chandrababu Naidu in the Skill Development Corporation (SDC) scam case.

A two-judge bench of the apex court, led by Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Pankaj Mithal pronounced the order and dismissed the Andhra Pradesh government's appeal.

"We do not find any merit in the appeal of AP govt. Thereby, we dismiss it," the apex court said.

The Supreme Court bench was hearing an appeal by the Andhra Pradesh government against the High Court's 3 November 2023 order granting bail to Naidu in the SDC scam case.

Andhra Pradesh's Crime Investigation Department (CID) arrested Naidu on September 9, 2023. Naidu was accused of involvement in a 2015 fraud case during his tenure as Chief Minister, allegedly misappropriating SDC funds and causing a loss of Rs 300 crore to the state exchequer.

The TDP chief had contended before the Top court that the FIR (First Information Report) against him was registered without obtaining the prior approval of the competent authority in the scam case and, therefore, his arrest was illegal and malafide.

It is significant to note that Naidu has already secured regular bail from the Top Court in the SDC scam, till further orders.

The Andhra Pradesh government earlier in one of the hearings told the Supreme Court that the alleged crime against Naidu involved a project with the AP State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC), Siemens Industry Software (India) Pvt. Ltd, and DesignTech India Pvt. Ltd to establish Siemens centres of excellence and skill development in six clusters across the state.

Naidu has been accused of expediting the incorporation of the APSSDC by overruling objections that it required state Cabinet approval. However, he claimed innocence in the case.

It is alleged by the former AP Govt that Naidu had allegedly created his choice of some appointments in the APSSDC to “facilitate the scam”.

It is alleged by the state govt that Naidu also entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Siemens and DesignTech without any tender process.

He also expedited the release of funds for the project “before any work was done, even overruling the objections of senior officers such as the Finance Secretary,” the state govt alleged in the Top court.

The state government earlier told the Supreme Court that it was shocking that Naidu's family members were allegedly threatening officers who had given or would depose and give statements against him in the SDC scam case.

Pleading to the Top Court's two-judge bench that the accused, Naidu's bail plea should be rejected by the court on this ground.

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