With the Crime Investigation Department (CID) authorities of Andhra Pradesh police serving a notice on TDP president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu in connection with the assigned lands case in Amaravati, the obvious expectation from anybody is that he would move the court to obtain the stay order.
Even as the TDP chief is holding consultations with his legal experts, including senior advocates from Supreme Court, on how to go about with the case, the media houses supporting him have already declared that Naidu would move the high court to seek quashing of the first information report (FIR) registered by the CID in the Amaravati lands issue.
There is also a talk among the TDP leaders that while fighting the legal battle, Naidu would also appear before the CID office to answer all their queries.
Apparently, he thinks it would only bring him political mileage, as he has acquired lands only for building the capital city and not for his personal gains.
However, there is an apprehension among the party leaders that the CID authorities might arrest him on the pretext that he is not cooperating with the investigation and is trying to hide crucial information.
They remind that the notice served on Naidu says he should produce whatever documents he has with regard to the land pooling.
“He can be arrested, even if he says he doesn’t have any such documents with him,” a TDP leader said.
It is learnt the CID authorities have gathered concrete evidence to nail Chandrababu Naidu and if he doesn’t give proper replies, he would be arrested immediately and remanded to judicia custody.
“That is precisely why Naidu is likely to go to the court to stall the CID probe into the case or dismiss the FIR. Otherwise, he might also try for securing an order to avoid getting arrested by the CID authorities,” the TDP leader added.
Meanwhile, notices were also served on Naidu’s erstwhile cabinet colleague P Narayana at his Kukatpally residence. Since Narayana was not available, the CID authorities gave the notice copy to his wife Rama Devi and got her acknowledgement.
Narayana was asked to appear before the CID authorities in Vijayawada on March 22 (Sunday), a day before the interrogation of Chandrababu Naidu. It is not clear whether Narayana, too, would approach the court to get the stay order.