AP CM Naidu asked to appear in court as recall plea rejected

Vijayawada: In an unexpected development, the Dharmabad court in Maharashtra on Friday rejected the recall petition, and ordered Andhra Pradesh (AP) chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to appear before the court on October 15.

The judge asked the advocate why Mr Naidu and others hadn’t personally appeared in connection with the non-bailable arrest warrants against them in the Babli project agitation case. In a serious observation, the judge remarked that the courts did not differentiate between a chief minister and a common man, and that all were equal before the law.

Advocate Subba Rao went from AP and filed the recall petition on behalf of Mr Naidu. The news of rejection of the AP chief minister’s plea had caused a disturbance among TD leaders and cadres. After the judge quashed the recall petition, TD advocates sought time for Mr Naidu’s personal appearance. Responding to the request, the Dharmabad court judge posted the case for further hearing on October 15.

However, three of the persons issued non-bailable warrants i.e. Gangula Kamalakar, K.S. Ratnam and Prakash Goud, appeared before the court on Friday.

They were given bail immediately. The case is related to Mr Naidu’s protesting the construction of the Babli project in Maharashtra. Mr Naidu had led an agitation in July 2010 and wanted to visit the Babli project site across the border, stating that the project would affect those living downstream in the north Telangana region in the then united Andhra Pradesh.