Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has granted interim bail on medical/health grounds to Telugu Desam chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu for four weeks till November 28 in the AP Skill Development Corporation corruption case.
A single-judge bench of Justice Mallikarjuna Rao granted the bail here on Tuesday. Additional advocate general Ponnavolu Sudhakar argued on behalf of the AP CID while senior counsels including Siddartha Luthra and Dammalapati Srinivas represented Chandrababu Naidu.
The court observed: “This court places the health and well-being of an individual as the foremost consideration, irrespective of the gravity of the alleged offense. It is important to recognise that custody during the investigative phase should not be perceived as punitive. Every individual has the inherent right to receive comprehensive and effective medical care.”
“This court firmly upholds the belief that individuals in custody with serious health issues should be granted access to adequate and effective medical treatment. The exercise of discretion in granting interim bail on medical grounds should not be restricted to circumstances where the person’s life is in immediate peril,” the court said in justification of its order.
“There is no remote possibility that the petitioner would evade the judicial process or pose a flight risk. It is submitted that the petitioner served as the CM of AP and is currently the Opposition leader and MLA.”
Interim bail is granted solely for the purpose of allowing the petitioner to undergo the necessary medical examination. The medical report says the petitioner requires cataract surgery to the right eye. He is permitted to seek treatment at the same hospital where he had the surgery for his left eye.”
The court imposed certain conditions. Naidu should furnish a bail bond for '1 lakh with two sureties of the like amount, “should get himself examined/treated at a hospital of his choice at his expense, should provide details about the treatment given to him in a sealed cover to the superintendent of Central Prison at the time of his surrender and should not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any persons acquainted with the facts of the case in ways as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the court or any authority.”
The court directed the petitioner to surrender himself before the superintendent of the central prison on or before November 28 at 5 pm.
Earlier, Naidu’s senior counsel argued that the petitioner was a 73-year-old individual in judicial custody since September 10 and faced difficulties in getting medical care during his incarceration resulting in rashes affecting his chest, back, palms etc. “The petitioner has been under treatment for diabetes mellitus for the last 15 years and was receiving consistent medical care.”
Counsel informed the court that the petitioner was suffering from hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy for which a cardiac evaluation was done in December 2022. “A medical report dated 21-10-2023 recommended a series of tests including assessment of vital organs like heart and lungs.”
Additional advocate general Ponnavolu Sudhakar, representing the AP CID, argued that there was no justifiable reason for granting interim bail. “The petitioner’s health condition remained stable. His medical conditions are not severe and he is receiving necessary medical care within the prison premises. His weight has increased from 66 kg to 67.5 kg. hence, the iInterim bail should be dismissed,” he proposed to the court.
