The Government of Andhra Pradesh has escalated its legal battle by urging the Apex Court to revoke the bail granted to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief, N Chandrababu Naidu, in connection with the skill development corporation scam. 

Allegations have been raised by the state government, asserting that Naidu's family members have made statements aimed at intimidating public servants to obstruct the ongoing probe.

In a recent hearing before a bench comprising justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal, the state government presented its plea against a previous decision by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which had granted regular bail to Naidu on November 20, 2023. 

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Andhra Pradesh government, highlighted the purported statements made by Naidu's family members indicating their intention to take action against officers once in power. This, the state contends, amounts to intimidation aimed at hindering the investigation.

The government has sought permission from the Supreme Court to submit additional documents, specifically transcripts of interviews given by Nara Lokesh, Naidu's son, on December 19, 2023. These transcripts allegedly contain evidence suggesting efforts by Nara Lokesh and Naidu to intimidate government officials and impede the investigation process.

Rohatgi emphasized the gravity of the situation, arguing that bail should not be granted to individuals who engage in threatening behavior, particularly in the lead-up to elections. 

On the other side, senior advocate Harish Salve, representing Naidu, assured that they would provide a response to the application filed by the state government.

The bench granted a two-week period for Naidu's counsel to file the response, scheduling the next hearing for three weeks later. 

Previously, on November 28, 2023, the Supreme Court had sought Naidu's response to the state's plea against the high court's decision. Meanwhile, the top court had temporarily relaxed some bail conditions for the TDP leader, permitting him to participate in public rallies and meetings until the next hearing on December 8. However, restrictions prohibiting Naidu from making public statements or discussing the case with the media remained in effect.

Naidu was arrested on September 9, 2023, on allegations of misappropriating funds from the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation during his tenure as chief minister in 2015, purportedly causing a loss of Rs 371 crore to the state exchequer.

Denying the accusations, Naidu has maintained his innocence throughout the legal proceedings.