Former Chief Justice NV Ramana attends Chandrababu Naidu's swearing-in ceremony

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for the fourth time at a grand ceremony held at the Kesarapalli IT Park near Vijayawada in Krishna district on Wednesday.

The swearing-in event, attended by a host of prominent political and non-political figures, featured Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several union ministers. Notably, former Chief Justice of India NV Ramana was seen in the front row, seated next to Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and JP Nadda during the oath-taking ceremony of Naidu and his 24 ministers, including his son Nara Lokesh.

Justice Ramana's presence underscored his well-known proximity to Naidu. This relationship came under scrutiny in 2020 when former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy raised concerns about Justice Ramana’s potential influence on the judiciary.

In an eight-page letter to then-Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, Reddy alleged that Justice Ramana could have influenced Andhra Pradesh High Court judges in cases involving Naidu’s TDP.

Reddy's allegations were based on preliminary findings by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which suggested an illegal land deal involving family members of Justice Ramana.

These claims highlighted the complex political and judicial dynamics in Andhra Pradesh, adding a layer of intrigue to Naidu's recent swearing-in ceremony.

Appointed as a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in 2000, Justice Ramana's judicial career progressed steadily, culminating in his elevation to the Supreme Court of India in February 2014.

He assumed the office of CJI on April 24, 2021, serving as the 48th CJI until August 26, 2022.