ACB court grants CID 2 days' custody of Naidu for probe in AP skill development scam

Vijayawada: The ACB court has granted the state CID two days’ custody of TD president Nara Chandrababu Naidu for further probe in the AP skill development scam of '371 crore.

The court, while issuing the order on Friday, imposed certain conditions for the inquiry from September 23 to 24. It should be done between 9.30 am and 5 pm in the presence of advocates in the central prison in Rajahmundry.  

Naidu currently serves a 16-day judicial remand there.

The court sought details of the CID officials who would question Naidu. It also directed the CID not to release pictures and videos of interrogation of Naidu after completion of the probe by 5 pm on Sunday. “Produce the accused before this court through video conference to take further course of action,” the court said.

Though the ACB court completed its hearings on the CID’s plea for custody of Naidu earlier, it waited for a verdict from the AP High Court on Naidu’s plea for quashing the FIR registered against him in the skill scam case. After this verdict was delivered, the court granted two days’ custody to the CID.

The ACB court extended Naidu’s judicial custody by two more days from September 23 to 24 as his 14 days’ remand concluded on September 22. It is for this reason that it directed the CID to produce Naidu virtually before him after 5 pm on September 24 soon after the completion of its probe in its custody.

Earlier, ACB judge S.V.H. Bindu contacted Naidu through video link and the latter expressed his pain and anguish. He alleged that he was being subjected to mental harassment by placing him in jail. He also complained to the judge that he was arrested without giving any notice and claimed that the allegations leveled against him in the scam were not proven.

Responding to him, the judge enquired whether Naidu faced any trouble with regard to facilities in the central prison in Rajahmundry and assured him that she would issue directions in case of any lacunae.

She informed him that Naidu would be in judicial custody up to September 24, when the further course of action would be decided.