SC says ‘stay your hand’ to AP govt, no arrest for Chandrababu Naidu till Wednesday in FiberNet scam case

A hearing on a plea of Chandrababu Naidu for anticipatory bail in the FeberNet scam was heard today. The next hearing of the matter has been scheduled on Tuesday. The Supreme Court has asked Andhra Pradesh police not to arrest him till then, writes ETV Bharat's Sumit Saxena.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday issued notice on a petition filed by former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu against high court's order denying him anticipatory bail in the FiberNet scam case and stated that the matter will be heard on Octover 17.

Amid apprehension that Naidu may be arrested in this case in the meantime, court has asked Andhra Pradesh police to "stay its hand" till then. A bench comprising justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi heard the case today.

Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, representing Naidu, submitted before the bench that the state government may arrest his client on Monday and on Tuesday this petition will become infructuous. He urged the court to consider the petition. Luthra told the bench that after his client’s arrest in the Skill Development Centre scam, the state is going after him in more cases. “Once they arrested him in one case, they started roping him in other cases”, said Luthra.

Justice Bose said the court is not passing any order now and asked whether the Andhra Pradesh government can hold the arrest.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Andhra Pradesh government, said they can ask the trial court to adjourn the hearing till Wednesday. On which, the bench noted that the anticipatory bail plea will not become infructuous if there is no arrest. Rohatgi said that instructions will be sent stating that there should not be an arrest on Monday.

Justice Bose asked the government lawyer to tell the court that police are not arresting Naidu till then while Justice Trivedi said "stay your hand". Rohatgi said the matter is before the court and it is not in his hands.

The bench said, “Issue notice. Standing counsel for the State of Andhra Pradesh accepts service on behalf of the respondent state. List this matter on Tuesday. If the State wants to file a counter-affidavit, they may do so by Monday with the copy to petitioners...”.