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Synopsis

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has dismissed the plea filed by Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Chandrababu Naidu to quash the FIR registered against him in the skill development scam case. 

While dismissing the petition Justice K. Sreenivasa Reddy said that a mini-trial could not be conducted by the high court in an application under Section 482. 

The bench further said that the investigation was attaining finality and therefore the court was inclined to interfere in the proceedings.

"The investigating agency, pursuant to the registration of the crime in the year 2021, examined as many as more than 140 witnesses and collected documents to the tune of more than 4000. Profligacy is such an esoteric subject, where investigation has to be carried with utmost proficiency by the professionals. At this stage, where the investigation is on fulcrum of attaining finalty, this Court is not inclined to interfere with the impugned proceedings" the bench said.

The high court also said that the petition was devoid of merits.

"The Criminal Petition is devoid of merit and is, accordingly, dismissed, and the consequential reliefs sought are dismissed," the order reads.

Chandrababu Naidu had approached the high court after he was remanded to 14 day judicial custody by the Anti-Corruption Board court. 

A case was registered against the Former Chief Minister alleging Naidu's government had entered into an agreement with Siemens Industry Software (India) Pvt Ltd and DesignTech Systems Pvt Ltd to contribute 10% to the skill development programmes in various districts. The 10% of the project cost amounted to 371 crores.

Allegedly, Naidu's government had hastily paid 371 crore in 3 months and syphoned 241 crore out of the 371 crore through shell companies. 

Senior Advocate Harish Salve appearing for Naidu contended that the entire material on record shows that no offences have been made out against Naidu. He added that no steps were taken to assess the misappropriation of the APSSDC funds in the Siemens Project.

Additionally, he submitted that the petitioner is a former Chief Minister, aged 73 years, and the question of the petitioner fleeing away does not arise.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for CID contended that the Investigation in so far as Naidu is concerned, is at a nascent stage, and at this stage, this Court should not interfere with the proceedings in a petition under Section 482 CrPC.

Case title: Chandrababu Naidu vs CID