TDP appeals to president, PM over Chandrababu Naidu's 'illegal' arrest

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has sought the intervention of the President and the prime minister in the "illegal" arrest of its president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

TDP MP Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) sent letters to President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union home minister Amit Shah.

The MP from Vijayawada brought to their notice that Naidu was arrested on Saturday by the crime investigation department (CID) of Andhra Pradesh under multiple charges.

He wrote that Naidu dedicated about 45 years of his life to "selflessly serve the nation" and is widely regarded as a "clean and principled leader".

“The circumstances surrounding Mr. Chandrababu Naidu’s arrest have raised serious doubts about the legality and fairness of the process. The charges against him appear to be politically motivated and excessive in nature. As citizens who cherish our democratic values, we are deeply concerned about this situation,” he wrote

The MP claimed that Naidu’s arrest has shaken the confidence of citizens who respect his dedication to clean governance and development.

He appealed to the President to intervene and ensure a thorough, transparent and impartial investigation, guaranteeing that Naidu’s legal rights are upheld.

In his letter to PM Modi, the TDP MP alleged that ever since coming to power in the state in 2019, the YSRCP government has been implicating Opposition leaders in false cases and arresting them in an "illegal and undemocratic" manner.

Nani stated that the timing of the TDP president’s arrest is suspicious and raises concerns over the legality and fairness of the process. “All the charges levelled on which the former Chief Minister was arrested are appearing to be politically motivated and cultivated in furtherance of their hidden agenda to put him under the bars by hook or crook. Of late, the state of Andhra Pradesh is witnessing a kind of dictatorship, violation of laws, tarnishing the image of judiciary and suppressing the voice of opposition,” reads the letter.

Pointing out that Naidu is protected by the National Security Guard (NSG) with Z+ category security, the TDP MP wrote that the manner in which the CID arrested him raises serious concerns over his safety.