No arrest for Chandrababu Naidu till Nov 9 in FiberNet scam

The bench decided to defer the hearing until November 9, since the court has already reserved the judgment in the skill development case.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday adjourned the plea by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu seeking anticipatory bail in the FiberNet scam case till November 9.

Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, representing Naidu, requested a bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi to continue the interim protection from arrest for his client. Luthra said, “I leave it to your lordships…..otherwise, this plea will become infructuous”. The bench asked Luthra during the hearing, "Should it wait till the judgment (on another plea by Naidu) is delivered?"

A senior counsel, representing the Andhra Pradesh government, objected to Luthra's submissions. He said once a person is in custody, the question of arrest does not always arise. The bench, questioning the need to arrest Naidu in the FiberNet scam case, told the state’s counsel that Naidu was already in custody and they could interrogate him.

The counsel said for the purpose of interrogation, they will need the court's permission and unless they can show him to be in their custody, they cannot apply for police custody. Opposing these arguments, Luthra said that is fallacious and it is a complete misrepresentation of the law, and they have not bothered to ask him any questions since September 9, when he was taken into custody.

The bench decided to defer the hearing until November 9, since the court has already reserved the judgment in the skill development case. The bench said let the understanding continue. Naidu has challenged the Andhra Pradesh High Court order refusing to quash the FIR in the skill development centre scam case.

Today, the apex court was hearing Naidu's special leave petition against an order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court refusing to grant him anticipatory bail in the FiberNet scam.