AP High Court Directs Naidu to Keep Off Political Rallies, Public Meetings

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday directed Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu not to participate in political rallies and public meetings.

A single judge bench of Justice T. Mallikarjuna Rao issued the verdict following a plea filed by the AP CID. The investigative agency sought imposition of conditions on Naidu, as he is on an interim bail in ₹371 crore AP skill development scam case from October 31 to November 28 on medical grounds.

Following this, the High Court observed that the respondent / petitioner (Naidu) should abstain from making any public comments related to the skill development scam case. He must refrain from organising or participating in public rallies and meetings. He should comply with conditions set forth in the order issued by the High Court on October 31.

The judge said the order does not impose a blanket ban or violate Naidu’s fundamental rights. It is rather a reasonable restriction imposed on him. He pointed out that the court’s intention is to maintain its legal order, while causing the least possible interference in Naidu’s convenience.

Earlier, additional advocate general Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy informed the High Court that Naidu had deviated from the conditions imposed by the court. He participated in a political rally and made political speeches. In this regard, the additional AG submitted a memo on November 1, along with a pen drive containing transcripts of Naidu’s speech delivered shortly after release from the Central Prison and activities that he engaged in.

On this, the High Court observed that evidence presented did not indicate that Naidu had organised a political rally or conducted a public meeting. Several people had gathered to greet the former chief minister after his release and he expressed his gratitude to them. The court said there is no evidence to suggest that Naidu has violated the court’s order.

Naidu’s senior counsel Dammalapati Srinivas argued that under Section 437 of Cr.P.C, the court is empowered to impose conditions in pursuit of justice. But such conditions should not jeopardise the liberty of the accused. The directives must aim to strike a balance between the accused’s freedom and interests of justice.

Naidu’s counsel underlined that any additional conditions should primarily serve the interest of investigation and must not be arbitrary or whimsical. He argued that the proposed conditions in the interim bail resembled a type of restriction on Naidu’s freedom of speech, akin to a gash order. They encroach upon the former CM’s constitutional right to speech.

The AP CID filed a plea in the court to impose five additional conditions on Naidu’s interim bail order issued on October 31. They include: Naidu should not participate in political rallies, must not give political speeches or indulge in political activities; should refrain himself from appearing before the print, electronic and social media platforms; must confine himself to medical treatment alone; should not give any press interview nor make any public comments with regard to the case or other co-accused and two officers of the rank of deputy SPs must accompany Naidu for monitoring his activities they should submit their report regularly to the court.