Naidu responsible for disappearance of two primary witnesses in Skill Scam: AP CID

KAKINADA: The AP CID on Sunday appealed to the III Additional Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge for SPE and ACB Cases to extend the judicial remand of former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu for a period of another 15 days.

The probe agency said this was to enable it to continue with the investigations in the Skill Development Scam. Chandrababu was primarily suspected to be responsible for the disappearance of two primary witnesses -- Pendyala Srinivas and Manoj Vasudev Paradasany – the CID said.

“They are out of bounds of the investigation agency. They can throw light on the end-use of the misappropriated money, which was ploughed back in the form of cash through the shell companies of Naidu,” the court was told

The CID  Economic Wing DSP Dhanunjay filed a petition before the court on Sunday night.

He said former retired IAS officer PV Ramesh had spoken to the media, seeking to distort the proceedings of the investigation and the content of his statement made under section 164 of the CrPC. “Such is the influence of the accused and his supporters over the witnesses in the case,” the court was told.

“The accused is very likely to cause damage to the case and the inquiry by tampering with the evidence, intimidating and influencing the witnesses. The accused is likely to interfere with the process of recording the statements of the witnesses by inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade them from disclosing such facts to the court or to any police officer, thus jeopardising the legal process,” the plea before the court read.

It said, “The two primary witnesses, P Srinivas and Manoj Vasudev, are closely linked to the present case as indicated by the disclosures during the investigation. The investigation is still pending for want of securing some more documents, examining other witnesses by the investigation officer and the two primary witnesses to this case.”

“The continuance of the accused in judicial custody is, therefore, necessary to maintain the integrity of investigation and to secure the protection of other witnesses, who have spoken about the involvement of the accused.”

The AP CID has urged the ACB Court to extend the custody of the former chief minister currently lodged in central prison at Rajamahendravaram. The plea was made on Sunday night by CID advocate Vivekananda.

But, the judge made it clear that the extension would not be given “if counsel asks mechanically. If counsel files the petition, then it would be pursued,” he said.

Counsel Vivekananda on behalf of the CID and another counsel Posani Venkateswarlu on behalf of Chandrababu Naidu argued their versions.

Viveknanda said Naidu had not cooperated with the investigation officials while in police custody and he did not give a complete answer to them.  “I would explain the custody information to the judge on Monday and seek extension of custody to Chandrabau Naidu,” he said.

He said the bail petition on Chandrababu Naidu, vis-à-vis the Inner Ring Road, Fiber Net cases would come before the bench on Monday.

Meanwhile, when Chandrababu Naidu pleaded with the judge that he played no role in the alleged corruption case, the judge said that the report carried 2,000 pages and there was more evidence there.