Arrest warrant against AP CM Chandrababu Naidu in 2010 case
A Maharashtra court has issued an arrest warrant against Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu and 15 others in a 2010 case related to an agitation staged by them over the Babli project across the Godavari river. Judicial Magistrate First Class of Dharmabad in Nanded district, NR Gajbhiye, issued the order to arrest the accused and produce them in the court by September 21.
What had happened in 2010?
In 2010, Naidu and others, then in the opposition in the united Andhra Pradesh, were arrested and lodged in a Pune jail in connection with the agitation staged by them near the Babli project site in Maharashtra, opposing it on the ground that it would affect the people downstream. All of them were released later, though they had not sought bail.
Court order was issued on petition by a Maharashtra resident
The case had been pending trial for all these years. The court order, dated July 5 this year and supposed to be executed by August 16 but corrected to September 21, was issued on a petition filed by a Maharashtra resident.
Details of the booked people and charges against them
Besides AP CM Naidu, state Water Resources Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, Social Welfare Minister N Anand Babu, and former MLA G Kamalakar were among the Telugu Desam Party workers booked in the case. They have been charged with offenses under the IPC, including assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty, voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons, among others.
Naidu's son says he fought to protect interests of Telangana
Reacting to the news, Naidu's son and state Information Technology Minister N Lokesh said his father and the other TDP leaders would appear in court. "He (Naidu) fought to protect the interests of Telangana. He even refused to seek bail when he was arrested," Lokesh said. Naidu is currently camping in Tirumala, near Tirupati, attending the annual Brahmotsavam of the Lord Venkateswara temple there.
