Andhra: Chandrababu Naidu Lodged In Rajahmundry Central Prison After Being Sent To Judicial Custody By ACB Court; TDP Calls Statewide Bandh

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister, N Chandrababu Naidu was lodged in cell number 7691 in Sneha Block at the Rajahmundry central prison, early this morning (11 September), after he was sent to 14-days judicial custody by an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court in Vijayawada yesterday (10 September).

Naidu was arrested for his alleged role in what is being called the Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation scam.

According to a report by Indian Express regarding the investigation by the CID, the Andhra government had entered an MoU with Siemens to establish skill development centres in the state under which the state government would invest 10 per cent of the cost and Siemens the rest.

However, within three months, the Andhra government released Rs 371 crore, even though Siemens had not yet invested its share. Of this amount, Rs 271 crore is alleged to have been given to five shell companies, Allied Computers, Skillers India Pvt Ltd, Knowledge Podium, Cadence Partners, and ETA Greens.

These companies, which were supposed to provide supplies like computers and software, however, did not provide them and allegedly received money from the government based on fake invoices.

The CID also alleged that Naidu had destroyed evidence in the case. It has argued that custodial interrogation is necessary as he is the main conspirator and prime beneficiary of the scam.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also investigated the case. It arrested Soumyadri Shekhar Bose, former MD of Siemens Industry Software (India) Private Limited; Mukul Chandra Agarwal, MD of PVSP IT Skill Projects Ltd; Vikas Vinayak Khanvalkar, MD of DesignTech Systems Limited, Pune; and Suresh Goyal, Chartered Accountant of SSRA & Associates in March 2023 for their alleged involvement in laundering the Rs 241 crore through shell companies.

The TDP has called for a bandh on 11 September to protest Naidu's arrest. The bandh has been supported by the Jana Sena Party (JSP) led by Pawan Kalyan.

It has however not received support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Naidu is expected to appeal against the remand in the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

The JSP has been trying to convince the BJP to once again admit the TDP into the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and put up a united fight against the ruling Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP). The BJP, however, remains undecided.

The TDP had left the NDA in 2018 over the issue of special status to Andhra Pradesh.

Also Read: TDP Chief Chandrababu Naidu Arrested By Andhra Pradesh CID In Corruption Case