Relief for Naidu as HC dismisses plea of YSR's widow

The Andhra Pradesh high court on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the assets of former chief minister and Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu.

A division bench of Justices G Rohini and Asutosh Mohanto in their order observed that the writ petition filed by YSR Congress MLA Vijayamma "does not qualify to be a public interest petition".

Vijayamma is the widow of former chief minister late YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

The order said that the court can not entertain a writ petition filed by a political adversary against another for venting political grievances.

"Many issues raised by the petitioner (Vijayamma) were earlier considered by the courts in separate proceedings," it said.

The bench also observed that the earlier interim direction issued by previous division bench to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the allegations levelled by Pulivendula MLA Y S Vijayamma against Naidu over alleged disproportionate assets and submission of a report within three month, was passed without observing principles of natural justice.

Vijayamma had moved the high court on October 17 last seeking a probe by CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Naidu on various counts. The high court had on November 14 directed both the agencies to investigate into the assets of the TDP chief.

Besides CBI and ED market regulator SEBI too was then asked to complete the investigation and submit reports independently within three months.

However, in December last the high court kept in abeyance the order earlier passed by the previous division bench and directed the CBI and the ED to put on hold their preliminary investigation.