A.P. Skill Development Scam: Vijayawada Court Rejects Chandrababu Naidu’s House Custody Petition

A Vijayawada court in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday rejected the house custody petition filed by TDP (Telugu Desam Party) chief N Chandrababu Naidu, asserting that he would be more secure in jail due to the potential unavailability of his customary Z-plus security detail if he were under house arrest.

Naidu was apprehended in connection with his alleged involvement in a multi-crore Skill Development Corporation scam and is currently detained at Rajamahendravaram Central Prison following an order of judicial custody for 14 days issued by a local court in Vijayawada on Sunday.

On Monday, a legal team led by senior counsel Siddharth Luthra, representing Naidu, submitted a plea requesting house custody for the former Chief Minister, citing concerns over perceived threats. Naidu has enjoyed Z-plus category security protection for several years, with a contingent of NSG commandos consistently safeguarding him. However, the request for house arrest was not granted. The Court’s rationale for denying house arrest centered on security concerns, as relayed by Naidu’s lawyer, Jayakar Matta.

According to Matta, the Court was of the opinion that Z-plus security provisions might not be viable under house arrest, thus concluding that it would be safer for Naidu to remain incarcerated rather than at home under house custody. Furthermore, the court expressed its willingness to grant house custody if it were feasible to adequately provide Z-plus security to Naidu. Ultimately, for security reasons, the court favored detention in jail.

Naidu’s arrest pertains to a fraud case involving the misappropriation of funds from the Skill Development Corporation, resulting in a substantial loss of Rs 300 crore to the state government, as disclosed by AP CID Chief N Sanjay following the arrest.