The First Class Judicial Magistrate of Dharmabad of Nanded district in Maharashtra has issued Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs) of arrest against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and 15 others in a case relating to 2010.
The NBWs, it is learnt, were issued against Mr. Naidu and others for allegedly defying prohibitory orders and leading a protest against construction of the Babli irrigation project across the Godavari river by Maharashtra, in July 2010.
Mr. Naidu was the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly then in combined Andhra Pradesh and headed the protest by the Telugu Desam MLAs, the contention being that construction of the project would deprive Telangana region (then) of water, turning it into a desert.
Among those served notices include two Ministers now in Mr. Naidu’s Cabinet — D. Umamaheswara Rao and N. Ananda Babu — besides other leaders of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.
Political storm
The warrants of arrest were issued under Section 70 of Cr.P.C. The court directed the police inspector of the Dharmabad police station to produce all the accused on or before September 21.
The Chief Minister was apprised about the developments while he was here on Thursday night to present silk vastrams on behalf of the State government to the temple of Lord Venkateswara in connection with the annual Brahmotsavams.
The warrant is likely to kick up political storm in the State in the backdrop of the Telugu Desam severing ties with the BJP.