It is very well known that Andhra Pradesh Ex-Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has been arrested in the Skill Development Case and there is no interim relief for the TDP Chief as Supreme Court posts CBN’s plea to quash FIR to October 19th.
However, right from the start, Section 17A became a crucial point of arguments for both the sides. Lawyers on behalf of CBN, Siddharth Luthra and Harish Salve are insisting that the Section 17A applies in this case while the lawyers on behalf of CID are arguing that they do not. First, let us understand what is Section 17A.
According to the new law brought in July 2018 under the Prevention of Corruption Act, the Governor’s permission is required to arrest public representatives. In the case of Chandrababu Naidu who served as the Chief Minister for 14 years, CID should comply the new section. But CID did not follow this rule. However, Mukul Rohatgi, who is arguing on behalf of the CID, argues that the crime was committed before July 2018, so this section will not be applicable.
This FIR was registered for the first time during the Jagan government in December 2019 regarding this case. Chandrababu’s name is not mentioned in it at that time. Senior lawyers argue that the CID saying that 17A does not apply to Chandrababu Babu in the background of the recent addition of the name of A38 is a strange argument.
However, we have to wait and see how Supreme Court believes these arguments and how the verdict will be.
