Andhra Pradesh High Court Grants Interim Bail To Chandrababu Naidu For Cataract Surgery

The Andhra Pradesh High Court today granted interim bail for a period of four weeks to TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu in the AP Skill Development case.

Advocates representing Naidu had informed the High Court that he needed the bail to undergo cataract surgery. Granting the interim bail on health grounds, the bench directed the former CM to appear before the Superintendent of the central prison in Rajamahendravaram on or before November 28.

"With a humanitarian perspective in mind and considering the petitioner's health condition, this Court is inclined to grant temporary bail on health grounds to the petitioner/A.37, enabling him to undergo the required surgery on his right eye," the Court said in the order.

In the set of conditions, it directed Naidu to furnish a bail bond for Rs.1,00,000 with two sureties of the like amount to the satisfaction of the Trial Court. The TDP chief was also ordered to provide details of the treatment given to him and the hospital where he underwent treatment, in a sealed cover, to the Superintendent the Central Prison, at the time of his surrender.

"The petitioner shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat, or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the Court or any other authority," it said.

The High Court observed that it was its steadfast belief that a patient in need of medical attention should be granted immediate, effective, and comprehensive treatment.

The choice of the medical facility for treatment should remain with the patient, it added.

Naidu is currently lodged in Rajamahendravaram prison for allegedly misappropriating funds from the Skill Development Corporation, which resulted in a purported loss of over Rs 300 crore to the state exchequer.

He was arrested on September 9. The High Court has posted the bail application to November 10.

With PTI inputs