HC orders probe into Naidu's assets

A division bench of the State High Court on Monday asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to probe into the alleged illegal assets of Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Ghulam Mohammed and Justice Nooty Ramamohana Rao directed the agencies to conduct primary investigation into the alleged illegal assets and submit a report within three months in a sealed cover. The court issued these directions after hearing a writ petition filed on October 17 by Pulivendula MLA YS Vijayamma, widow of former chief minister YSR and other of Jagan Mohan Reddy, against the TDP chief.

In her petition, Vijayamma had alleged that Naidu amassed wealth by misusing his political power using media baron Ramoji Rao as a conduit. She appealed to court that Naidu with the help of Ramoji Rao defrauded the state exchequer and their actions need to be probed. She alleged that many acts of criminal misconduct were committed during the tenure of Naidu as the Chief Minister from 1995 to 2004.

The court directed the authorities to take into consideration the 2,424 page material supplied by the petitioner and probe into issue.

Apart from Naidu, the court also ordered probing agencies to conduct investigation against 13 others including Nara Bhuvaneshwari (wife of Chandrababu Naidu), Nara Lokesh (Son of Naidu), Eenadu Group chairman Ramoji Rao, Ahobala rao, Rajya Sabha Member Y S Choudhary, Movie Artistes Association president Maganti Murali Mohan, Karnati Venkateswara Rao and C M Ramesh.