TDP Govt Uses Rs 2.86 Crore of Public Funds to Pay Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra

A sum of ₹2.86 crore has been paid as professional fees to senior advocate Siddharth Luthra for appearing before courts in cases against YSRCP leaders and activists.

Principal Secretary (Home Department) Kumar Vishwajeet issued a government order to this effect on Friday. According to the order, ₹2.86 crore of public funds has been paid to Luthra for appearing in four criminal petitions before the Andhra Pradesh High Court. The payment also includes a 10% fee, amounting to ₹26 lakh, as clerkage – meaning the amount paid for clerk work.

A breakdown of the payment reveals that Luthra was paid ₹1.25 crore for the case related to the attack on the TDP headquarters in Mangalagiri. Of this amount, ₹75 lakh was for appearing and presenting arguments on a single day, and an additional ₹50 lakh was paid for appearing before the High Court on two separate occasions.

Luthra received ₹60 lakh for presenting arguments in a case related to a clash outside Naidu’s residence in Tadepalli. Additionally, he was paid ₹65 lakh for representing former YSRCP MP and current Assembly Deputy Speaker Raghurama Krishna Raju in connection with the alleged custodial torture case.

Chief Minister Naidu and Siddharth Luthra have known each other for many years. Luthra had also represented Naidu in connection with the Skill Development scam. Given the substantial fees paid to the senior Supreme Court advocate for these four cases, one can only speculate about the charges for representing Naidu in such a high-profile case.