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Andhra skill development case: Naidu’s judicial remand extended by two weeks
Meanwhile, the state high court on Thursday deferred Naidu’s petition seeking bail in the skill development case and announced that it would be heard by the vacation bench next week
Hyderabad
As the special court for Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) cases in Vijayawada on Thursday extended the judicial remand of Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu by another two weeks, his wife Nara Bhuvaneshwari has decided to hit the roads from next week to mobilise public support to him, party leaders familiar with the matter said.
With Naidu’s extended two-week judicial remand coming to an end on Thursday, the authorities of Rajahmundry central jail, where he had been lodged since his arrest in the early hours of September 11 in connection with the multi-crore skill development case, produced him before the ACB court in the morning on virtual mode.
After enquiring about Naidu’s condition in jail, ACB court judge Justice Hima Bindu extended his judicial remand till November 1, after taking into consideration a memorandum submitted by the Crime Investigation Department seeking extension of his judicial custody.
This was the fourth time that Naidu’s remand was extended. Earlier, it ended on September 22 and it was extended by two more days. On September 24, the remand was extended again till October 5, and later to October 19. Now, it has been extended till November 1.
Meanwhile, the state high court on Thursday deferred Naidu’s petition seeking bail in the skill development case and announced that it would be heard by the vacation bench next week.
Senior Supreme Court lawyer Siddharth Luthra, arguing for Naidu, submitted a memo in the high court about the health condition of Naidu and asked for interim bail for two weeks. The high court asked the CID counsel to submit the status report on the TDP chief’s health condition.
Bhubaneshwari to take up public outreach campaign
With uncertainty looming large over Naidu’s release from jail, his family members have decided to intensify party activities, not only to mobilise the public support, but also give a morale booster to the party leaders and cadre, who are apparently disheartened with the latest developments.
Soon after meeting Naidu in the jail, Naidu’s son and TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh and wife Bhuvaneshwari went into a huddle with the party’s senior leaders, including Andhra unit president of the party K Atchennaidu, and discussed the future course of action.
“Naidu told his family members that his continued presence in the jail should not demoralise the party cadre and advised them to take up the party programmes in a big way to attack the Jagan Mohan Reddy government,” a party leader privy to the development said.
As part of the strategy, Bhuvaneshwari will go on a statewide tour from next week with a programme titled “Nijam Gelavali” (Truth shall triumph), meet families of the party supporters who allegedly died of grief following Naidu’s arrest, apart from explaining to the people how the Jagan government was harassing her husband and the party leaders.
“Every week, Bhuvaneshwari is planning to visit two or three places in a district and meet all sections of people. Being the daughter of former chief minister and legendary actor N T Rama Rao, she would definitely get traction from the people,” the party leader said.
Earlier, Bhuvaneshwari called for protest programmes like candle rallies, “Nyanaki Sankellu” (handcuffs to justice), “Kanthitho Kranthi” (spreading awareness through lights) and “Motha Mogiddam” (Let us make sound).
At the same time, Lokesh will continue his father’s programme – “Bhavishyathuku Guarantee” (Guarantee for Future) from Nandyal, where Naidu was forced to discontinue it after he was arrested by the CID on September 9.
According to the party leader, the TDP has to step up its public outreach programmes, which have come to a halt following Naidu’s arrest. “The entire focus of the party leaders has been on the release of Naidu, as a result of which the party activities have taken a beating. So, Naidu decided that his family members continue them, to sustain the tempo in the party,” he added.
