Skill scam: Chandrababu presented virtually before ACB Judge, remand extended

VIJAYAWADA: On a day of hectic activity at the ACB special court in Vijayawada dealing with the skill development scam, the ACB Judge extended judicial custody of former Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu in the multi-crore skill development scam case to October 19. The directions came after Naidu was presented before the judge virtually from Rajamahendravaram Central Prison on Thursday as his judicial custody ended on Wednesday.

Earlier, heated arguments ensued between Naidu’s counsel Pramod Dubey and Additional Advocate-General of AP Government Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy on the custody and bail petitions of Naidu in the same case.

Continuing his arguments, Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy, presented before the court the alleged money trail of the ill-gotten money in the Rs 371 crore skill scam. He submitted incriminating evidence of Rs 27 crore being transferred from UK to Union Bank in support of his argument that the skill development programme was designed to benefit the former CM.

Supreme Court advocate Dubey brought to the attention of the court that the AAG went to the extent of addressing press conferences branding Naidu as a convict while the law dictated that one must be considered innocent till proven guilty. He said that the attitude of the Andhra Pradesh Government was to take revenge against Naidu.

After hearing the arguments for and against the release of Naidu on bail, the Judge said that further hearing would take place on Friday. Two PT warrants, one in the Angallu clashes case and the Fibernet case were pending before the ACB court.

Judgment reserved

This apart, the Andhra Pradesh High Court, hearing the anticipatory bail petition of Nara Chandrababu Naidu in the fibernet scam case reserved its judgment. Advocates Sidharth Agarwal and Sidharth Luthra argued on behalf of Naidu and Advocate General S Subramanya Sriram on behalf of the APCID.