Supreme Court refuses to quash FIR against N Chandrababu Naidu in skill corp scam

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, January 16

The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s petition seeking quashing of an FIR against him in the Skill Development Corporation scam case even as it delivered a split verdict on prior sanction to prosecute the former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

A Bench of Justice Aniruddha Bose and Justice Bela M Trivedi, which upheld the remand order passed by a magistrate’s court and the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s decision dismissing his plea for quashing of the FIR, differed on the interpretation of Section 17-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Bench directed that the matter be placed before the CJI for appropriate directions. Now, the CJI will set up a larger Bench for an authoritative pronouncement on the legal issues involved in the matter.

Added to the Prevention of Corruption Act in 2018, Section 17-A requires a police officer to seek prior sanction from the competent authority for conducting any enquiry or inquiry or investigation into any alleged offence of corruption committed by a public servant.

While Justice Bose ruled that prior sanction for conducting a probe into the alleged offences against Naidu was needed, Justice Trivedi differed and went on to dismiss Naidu’s appeal.