The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Andhra Pradesh government whether a trial court order remanding former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will continue to remain valid if corruption charges against him fail for lack of sanction under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The State argued on Tuesday in the Supreme Court that the charges against Mr. Naidu in the skill development scam case was a “clear-cut” one of embezzlement and not remotely related to his duties of public office.
Appearing before a Bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M. Trivedi, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi and advocate Mahfooz A. Nazki, for the State, said Mr. Naidu cannot avail the protection of Section 17A, which mandates prior sanction for investigation, under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
