Andhra Pradesh govt files caveat in apex court against Naidu’s plea

VIJAYAWADA: The State government on Thursday filed a caveat petition in the Supreme Court, requesting that its argument also be heard over TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu’s plea challenging the High Court’s decision to dismiss his quash plea in the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) scam.

Currently lodged at the Rajahmundry Central Prison, the former chief minister was arrested for his alleged involvement in the APSSDC case. After the HC dismissed his petition to quash the FIR registered against him in the case, Naidu approached the SC. The apex court will hear the case on October 3. Andhra Pradesh’s standing counsel in the SC, Mahfooz Ahsan Nazki filed the caveat plea stating that there is sufficient proof to prove Naidu’s role in the scam.

The State government said the TDP chief had resorted to the fraud on the pretext of training students. It added that the funds were re-routed to shell companies and encashed. Pointing out that central investigating agencies had launched a probe into the misappropriation of funds, the petition mentioned that it was, in fact, the GST department that had informed the State government about the alleged scam.