Former Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu approaches SC to quash FIR registered by CID

NEW DELHI: Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who is accused of allegedly misappropriating funds in the multi-crore skill development scam has approached the Supreme Court to quash the FIR registered against him by AP CID.

Naidu approached the top court against the Andhra Pradesh HC order on September 22 which refused to quash the FIR. Justice K Sreenivas Reddy while rejecting the arguments related to seeking prior sanction in accordance with section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act for registering the FIR had said that his plea was devoid of merit and that it could not conduct a mini-trial on a petition filed under section 482 CrPC.

ALSO READ | CID begins interrogation of TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu in Rajamahendravaram jail

“Section 17A of the PC Act cannot be made applicable in those cases where the act of the public servant that amounts to an offence appears on the face of it lacking in good faith. Issuing public building licenses and no objection certificates cannot be said to be acts done in good faith. Where the performance of public function is grossly improper, the safe conclusion at least at the initial stage can be that it was in anticipation for in consequence of accepting an undue advantage from the beneficiary,” the judge had said in its 68-page order.

The leader was arrested on September 10 and has been in custody since then. After yesterday’s HC order, AP CID was further granted two days of custody.