Supreme Court Rejects Plea For Probe Against Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu In Alleged Cash-For-Vote Scam

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (August 21) dismissed petitions seeking an investigation against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in the alleged cash-for-vote scam.

A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Aravind Kumar dismissed two petitions that sought to include Naidu as an accused in the cash-for-vote scam case. While one petition sought a transfer of the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation, the other challenged an order and judgment of the Andhra Pradesh High Court dated December 9, 2016.

The present petitions were filed by YSR Congress Party leader Alla Ramakrishna Reddy. Before the high court, Naidu had challenged a private complaint filed by Reddy which led to the Special Judge directing the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), Telangana to conduct thorough investigation and file a report into the allegation of bribery to cast vote in favour of Telugu Desam Party candidate in Legislative Council elections in 2015.

As the bench proceeded to dismiss the special leave petition challenging the High Court judgment, Reddy's lawyer chose to withdraw the writ petition seeking CBI enquiry.

Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra appeared for Chandra Babu Naidu.

The high court had quashed the order of the Special Court to lodge a First Information Report against Naidu in the cash-for-vote scam case. It held that the order was passed without the application of mind and would force the ACB to register second FIR on same set of facts, which is not permissible in law.

It had also held that Reddy has no locus standi to intervene in this case.

Case Details: Alla Ramakrishna Reddy v. The State of Telangana, Crl.A. No. 527/2017, Alla Ramakrishna Reddy v. The State of TelanganaW.P.(Crl.) No. 162/2017