Politics

Chandrababu Naidu’s Incarceration Spurs Family and Party into Action

8 months ago
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chandrababu arrest

The prolonged judicial remand of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has sparked a wave of activism and resilience among his family and party members.

On 19.10.2023, the special court for Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Vijayawada extended Naidu’s judicial remand till November 1, his wife Nara Bhuvaneshwari and son Nara Lokesh have initiated powerful outreach campaigns to garner public support.

All before ACB:

The judicial saga, marked by multiple extensions of remand, reached a pivotal moment when the ACB court judge, Justice Hima Bindu, considered a memorandum submitted by the Crime Investigation Department, prolonging Naidu’s stay in Rajahmundry central jail until November 1, Simultaneously, senior Supreme Court lawyer Siddharth Luthra, representing Naidu, filed a memo in the state high court, pleading for interim bail. The court deferred the bail hearing, scheduled to be heard by the vacation bench next week.

Naidu was arrested by the Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department (APCID) for his alleged involvement in a Rs 371 crore skill development corporation scam on September 9. His remand was initially ordered on September 10. In light of the approaching end of his judicial remand, the investigative agency filed a plea for an extension.

During the hearing, Naidu raised concerns about his security in jail and expressed dissatisfaction with the facilities provided. As a response, the judge instructed Naidu to list his concerns in a letter, which would be forwarded to the ACB court. She assured that officials would provide timely health reports. The judge also sought an explanation from CID officials regarding Naidu’s health, to which they responded that a special medical team continuously monitors his condition.

Meanwhile, Naidu’s advocates submitted a fresh petition to the ACB court, requesting an increase in the number of legal meetings from one per day to three. This reduction in legal meetings from two to one had been implemented by jail officials citing security and administrative reasons. Judge Himabindu instructed CID officials to file a counter in response to this petition for further arguments.

All Before Supreme Court

In a recent development, the Supreme Court heard the plea of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu against the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s decision to deny him anticipatory bail. The hearing took place before a bench comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi on 20.10.2023.

Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra, representing Naidu, informed the court that the matter pertained to anticipatory bail. He explained that there were three FIRs (First Information Reports) involved: in one case, the judgment had been reserved, and in another, there was an oral undertaking.

During the proceedings, Justice Bose inquired about the status of the case, to which the counsel for Andhra Pradesh (AP) responded that the issue of arrest does not always arise once a person is in custody. The AP counsel clarified that judicial custody would continue concerning the case in question, emphasizing that this stance had been stated in their counter-affidavit.

Justice Bose, however, pointed out Naidu’s current custodial status. The AP counsel noted that an application regarding this matter had already been submitted before the trial court.

After considering the arguments, Justice Bose indicated that the court would fix the matter for further proceedings on November 8. The court also confirmed that the undertaking given by Naidu would continue in the meantime. The anticipatory bail hearing, significant in the context of multiple FIRs involving the former Chief Minister, will resume on November 9, offering an opportunity for further legal arguments and potential decisions regarding Naidu’s legal situation.

Naidu’s family initiate Campaign to garner support:

Amid the legal battles, Nara Bhuvaneshwari, undeterred by the challenges, announced a statewide outreach campaign titled “Nijam Gelavali” (Truth Shall Triumph)., while Nara Lokesh, TDP general secretary and Naidu’s son, has decided to continue his father’s initiatives, notably the “Bhavishyathuku Guarantee” (Guarantee for Future) program.

TDP leaders, disheartened by recent developments, the party is intensifying its outreach programs, temporarily stalled due to Naidu’s arrest. Party leaders, including Andhra unit president K Atchennaidu, joined Bhuvaneshwari and Lokesh in their strategic meetings, reinforcing the party’s determination to confront the current government led by Jagan Mohan Reddy.

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