Naidu more safe in jail: Court dismisses TDP chief's house custody plea

A local court in Andhra Pradesh has dismissed the petition by TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu for house custody stating that he is safer in jail.

The court was hearing the plea filed by Chandrababu's side for granting him house custody.

Advocate General Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy said "The court dismissed the petition for house custody. The court felt that he would be more safe in the Rajamundary Jail. It's a more secure place for him."

TDP legal cell on Tuesday, also filed a petition in Andhra Pradesh High Court challenging the arrest of party supremo former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu by the CID.

In its petition, the TDP's legal cell questioned the applicability of Section 409 by the CID in the FIR.

Andhra Pradesh High Court accepted the petition challenging Naidu's arrest while directing the state government to file its response to the plea through an affidavit.

The hearing on the petition filed by the TDP's legal cell has been scheduled for September 13.

TDP general secretary and son of the former Andhra chief minister, Nara Lokesh, on Monday, said "corruption is not in his father's blood and the state government is merely trying to malign his image".

"Corruption is not in Chandrababu's blood. He is a well-known personality in the country. Jagan (Andhra Pradesh CM) put former CM Chandrababu in jail intentionally, on false charges. All other political leaders called me up and extended their support to me," Nara Lokesh told media persons at Rajamundry.

Naidu was sent to judicial custody on Sunday for 14 days, till September 23, by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court in Vijayawada in connection with an alleged Skill Development Corporation scam.

Meanwhile, Naidu reached Rajahmundry Central jail after being remanded to judicial custody in a corruption case in the earlier hours of Monday.

According to the police, the former CM has been allotted an upper block in Sneha Wing of the jail to reside until further procedure alongside prisoner number 7691.

The case pertains to the establishment of clusters of Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in the state of Andhra Pradesh, with a total estimated project value of Rs 3300 crore, as per the officials.