CBI begins probe into Chandrababu Naidu's assets

The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a Preliminary Enquiry to probe alleged disproportionate assets amassed by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu and 12 others.

This follows a directive of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on November 14.

The HC order had come on a petition of Y S Vijayamma, widow of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajashekar Reddy.

The Supreme Court had on November 23 refused to stay the CBI probe into alleged disproportionate assets of Naidu but granted him liberty to approach the state High Court for modification or vacation of its interim order.

A three-judge bench of justices Dalveer Bhandari, T S Thakur and Dipak Mishra, while declining to stay or grant status quo, requested the High Court to dispose off within 15 days the application, if any, moved by Naidu and others for modification/vacating the November 14 interim order of the high court.

"We are not inclined to interfere with the high court order. The petitioners are granted liberty to move the high court for modification or vacating the interim order", the apex court had said.

The counsel for Naidu had submitted to the apex court that the direction by the high court was in "violation" of the apex court's earlier rulings that no such order can be passed without giving an opportunity to the other side.

The high court, while admitting the petition on November 14, had directed CBI, ED and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to investigate the allegations and submit a report within three months in a sealed cover.

Following the HC directive, CBI registered a preliminary enquiry against Naidu and 12 others, CBI Joint Director (Hyderabad Zone) V V Laksmi Narayana said adding notices will also be subsequently issued.

Vijaya Amma, wife of late Rajasekhara Reddy, had filed the petition before the HC seeking a CBI probe and Enforcement Directorate against Naidu on various counts.

"Several individuals have conspired with Chandrababu Naidu to subvert the system by causing pecuniary advantage to themselves and draining the state's exchequer. Offences of cheating, criminal breach of trust, corruption, money laundering and several others are made out against them," Vijaya Amma had prayed in the petition.

Laksmi Narayana, who had on Friday collected documents from the high court pertaining to the petition to begin preliminary probe into alleged disproportionate assets of Naidu and the others, said the preliminary enquiry will be completed within 3 months as per the court order.