Former Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu in jail following court order

Rajahmundry (Andhra Pradesh): In a major political development, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was shifted to Rajahmundry Central Jail in the wee hours of Monday.

He was taken to jail after a court in Vijayawada sent him to a 14-day judicial custody in alleged Skill Development scam case.

Amid tight security, the Crime Investigation Department (CID) brought the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo to Rajahmundry from Vijayawada by road.

The convoy reached the jail around 1:15 a.m. Police had made elaborate security arrangements around the prison.

Naidu's son Nara Lokesh was allowed inside the jail and after completing the paperwork he left the jail.

NSG commandos guarding Naidu were not allowed inside the jail. On the direction of the Vijayawada ACB Court, Naidu has been allotted a special room. The court has also directed the jail authorities to allow home food and medicines.

The convoy of police vehicles left Vijayawada Court Complex after 10 p.m. Police did not allow any other vehicle to follow the convoy.

There was tight security to prevent any protest along the 200-km route.

TDP workers had staged protests at several places on Saturday when the 73-year-old leader was being brought to Vijayawada from Nandyal, where he was arrested by the CID early Saturday.

As a precautionary measure, police have imposed section 144 of CrPC across the state.

The ACB Court remanded Naidu to judicial custody in the evening, after lengthy arguments and day-long suspense.

TDP leaders alleged that the CID deliberately delayed producing Naidu before the court and shifted him to jail to deny him sleep for nearly 48 hours.

Naidu's lawyers are likely to file a bail petition in the High Court on Monday.

IANS with superficial edits