Skill Development Scam: SC to Hear AP Govt Plea Challenging Naidu’s Bail on Tuesday

The Supreme Court on Tuesday will hear a plea filed by Andhra Pradesh government against the high court order granting regular bail to TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu in the Skill Development Corporation scam case.
On November 20, the Andhra Pradesh High Court had released Naidu on bail, stating that discretion to grant bail should be exercised judiciously in a humane and compassionate manner.
The state government, in its appeal, stated, “The state of Andhra Pradesh is constrained to file the present Special Leave Petition against the impugned judgment dated November 20, 2023 passed by the High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati…, where the High Court, in a bail matter, has delved deep into facts of the case and has rendered findings that are not only factually incorrect but are also likely to prejudice the court below during the trial.”
The high court had converted Naidu’s four-week interim medical bail in the case into absolute bail and ordered the former chief minister’s release on regular bail, considering his age, old age-related ailments, non-flight risk, and other reasons.
The TDP chief recently underwent cataract surgery at L V Prasad Hospital in Hyderabad. He was arrested on September 9 and released on interim medical bail on October 31, which is now made regular.
Naidu was arrested for allegedly misappropriating funds from the Skill Development Corporation, resulting in a purported loss of over Rs 300 crore to the state exchequer.