HC dismisses Vijayamma's petition against Naidu

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation petition filed on October 17 last year by YSR Congress honorary president and Pulivendula Mla Y S Vijayamma seeking CBI probe into the alleged illegal assets of Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu.

Disposing the petition, the bench comprising Justice G Rohini and Justice Ashutosh Mehta opined that the petition of Vijayamma was in violation of the principles of natural justice and termed it as politically motivated. Giving major relief to the TDP chief, the bench observed that the petition has no locus standi for trial.

It may be recalled that Vijayamma filed PIL against Chandrababau Naidu and 12 others including media baron Ramoji Rao seeking probe by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate against Naidu on various counts. In her petition she alleged that many acts of criminal misconduct were committed during the regime of Naidu in Andhra Pradesh from 1995-2004.

The petition was admitted and on November 4 last and a preliminary probe by the CBI was ordered by the bench headed by Justice Amhed Kukru, on the last day of his service as Chief Justice of AP High Court. The bench directed the agencies to investigate and submit a report within three months.

Later, the case had been shunted between several benches on the cause of 'not before me' by Chief Justice Lokur and three other justices of AP High Court and finally heard by the bench of Justice Rohini.

The Justice Rohini bench had stayed the CBI preliminary probe and reserved judgment on December 14 after hearing both sides including the Reliance group in the case.

It may be recalled that the petitioner Y S Vijayamma had faced similar rebuttal in the Supreme Court where she had filed an affidavit seeking transfer of the trial on the PIL to any court outside Andhra Pradesh.