The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for May 7 regarding a plea by the Andhra Pradesh government, which challenges the regular bail granted to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu by the Andhra Pradesh High Court. This case relates to the alleged misappropriation of funds from the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation during Naidu’s tenure as Chief Minister in 2015.
The appeal was reviewed on Tuesday by a bench consisting of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal, who noted that an interlocutory application related to the case was not on record. The court directed the registry to address this oversight and scheduled both the application and the special leave petition for early May.
The state government’s appeal follows the high court’s decision on November 20, which turned Naidu’s interim medical bail into absolute bail, citing his age, health issues, and non-flight risk status among the reasons for his release. Naidu, 73, was initially arrested on September 9 for allegedly causing significant financial losses to the state treasury, which he has consistently denied.
Previously, the Supreme Court had modified the bail conditions allowing Naidu to attend public rallies and meetings temporarily, while maintaining restrictions against him making public statements or speaking to the media about the case. The Andhra Pradesh government has expressed concerns that Naidu’s continued freedom could influence ongoing investigations, citing instances of intimidation by his family members against public servants. This upcoming hearing will further determine the conditions of Naidu’s bail and address the state’s request to revoke it.