Chandrababu Naidu’s Judicial Remand Extended Till Oct 5

Vijayawada ACB court on Sunday extended former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu’s judicial remand up to October 5 in connection with alleged Skill Development Corporation scam.

Naidu was arrested on September 9 for allegedly misappropriating funds from the Skill Development Corporation, leading to a purported loss of over Rs 300 crore to the state exchequer. He was later sent to judicial custody for 14 days.

On Friday, the ACB court granted the Crime Investigation Department two days of custody of Naidu for further interrogation in the case. The court had allowed three Deputy Superintendents of police (DSPs) from the Economic Offences Wing of the CID, accompanied by six more junior police officers, one professional videographer and two official mediators to participate in the interrogation.

Naidu moves SC challenging HC order
Meanwhile, Naidu on Saturday moved the Supreme Court of India challenging the Andhra Pradesh High Court order dismissing his petition for quashing the First Information Report (FIR) against him in connection with an alleged scam in the Skill Development Corporation.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court, while dismissing his petition for quashing the FIR, had noted that his petition was devoid of merit and said the court was not keen to intrude at this stage when the probe was ongoing.

The high court had observed that police have the statutory right and duty under the relevant provisions of the CrPC to investigate a cognisable offence.

Noting that criminal proceedings ought not to be scuttled at the initial stage, the high court had said quashing an FIR should be an exception rather than the rule.

It had said an FIR is not an encyclopedia, which must disclose all facts and details relating to the offence reported.

(With PTI inputs)