Skill Development Corporation scam: SC asks Naidu's lawyer to mention matter on Tuesday

This relates to state of Andhra Pradesh where opposition has been curbed by arresting this gentleman, Luthra told the bench, also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.The CJI asked him to come tomorrow after his plea is listed for oral mentioning.Come tomorrow in the mentioning list, the CJI told Naidus counsel.Naidu had moved the apex court on Saturday challenging the Andhra Pradesh High Court order dismissing his petition for quashing the FIR against him.

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the lawyer representing TDP chief and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who has sought quashing of the FIR lodged against him in the alleged scam in the state's Skill Development Corporation, to mention his petition for urgent listing on Tuesday. Naidu was arrested by the CID earlier this month in connection with an alleged fraud involving siphoning off funds totalling over Rs 300 crore of the Skill Development Corporation when he was the chief minister.

The former Andhra Pradesh chief minister has been arrested under IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 465 (forgery). The Andhra Pradesh CID has also invoked the Prevention of Corruption Act against him.

Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for Naidu, mentioned the matter before a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud.

''There is an urgency. The gentleman is in custody. This relates to state of Andhra Pradesh where opposition has been curbed by arresting this gentleman,'' Luthra told the bench, also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

The CJI asked him to come tomorrow after his plea is listed for oral mentioning.

''Come tomorrow in the mentioning list,'' the CJI told Naidu's counsel.

Naidu had moved the apex court on Saturday challenging the Andhra Pradesh High Court order dismissing his petition for quashing the FIR against him. The high court had rejected his plea on Friday.

Naidu was arrested on September 9 for allegedly misappropriating funds of the Skill Development Corporation when he was the chief minister in 2015 which resulted in a purported loss of more than Rs 300 crore to the state exchequer.

While dismissing his petition for quashing of the FIR, the high court had noted his plea was devoid of merit and said the court was not inclined to interfere at this stage when the investigation was still going on.

The high court had said police have the statutory right and duty under the relevant provisions of the CrPC to investigate a cognisable offence.

It had also said the power of quashing an FIR should be exercised sparingly with circumspection.

Noting that criminal proceedings ought not to be scuttled at the initial stage, the high court had said quashing an FIR should be an exception rather than the rule.