HC adjourns hearing of Naidu's plea for anticipatory bail in liquor scam to today

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has heard Telugu Desam president Chandrababu Naidu’s plea for grant of anticipatory bail in the liquor scam case on Tuesday.

A single judge bench of Justice Mallikarjuna Rao heard the arguments of the petitioners. Former excise minister Kollu Ravindra, the Accused No. 2 in the same case, also filed a plea for anticipatory bail.

Naidu’s counsel Nagamuthu submitted to the court that withdrawal of privilege fee for liquor shops and bars was done with approval from the Assembly and from the then Governor.

He submitted that the then Cabinet approved the proposal for carrying out an amendment to the Excise Act to withdraw the privilege fee and accordingly, it was introduced and passed in the Assembly.

He argued that under Section 163 (3) of Indian Constitution, no judicial review was allowed for the decision taken by the Governor on the advice of the Cabinet and the Cabinet was having protection under Section 163.

Counsel argued that the AP CID did not show any role of Naidu in the liquor scam and no evidence was produced on the financial gain to him. Hence, he pleaded for sanction of anticipatory bail.

After hearing Naidu’s counsel, the court adjourned the case for the next hearing on Wednesday, when it would hear the arguments of AP CID.

So was the case with former minister Kollu Ravindra as he also applied for anticipatory bail in the liquor scam and the court heard his counsel.