The Crime Investigation Department authorities on Saturday began questioning Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu in connection with his alleged involvement in the multi-crore skill development corporation scandal.
A team of nine senior CID police officials led by deputy superintendent of police M Dhanunjayudu began questioning of Naidu at the conference hall of the Rajahmundry central jail where he has been lodged since September 11.
On behalf of Naidu, senior advocate and former advocate general of the state Dammalapati Srinivas, was present at a distance when the TDP chief was being grilled by the CBI team.
The court clearly told the authorities that they should not subject Naidu to any third degree methods.
Naidu is being given a five-minute break for every hour, so that he could consult his lawyer.
The jail authorities made all arrangements, including medicines and ambulance service, in case the TDP chief suffers any medical problem due to stress because of the interrogation.
For 73-year-old Naidu, who had been in politics for 45 years and the chief minister for 14 years, it is a completely a new experience to be questioned by the police on allegations of corruption.
He might have never anticipated in his life that he would have to be thrown behind bars and the police officials who he had commanded for several years would interrogate him in the jail.
But that is the irony of politics. A politician has to pay the penalty for all his acts of omission and commission one day or the other.
It is a different matter whether the case will be proved or not, but the fact that Naidu has experience the jail life, albeit for a few days, is what the destiny is all about!
