TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu sent to 14-day judicial custody in connection with skill development scam

TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu was produced before the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court in Vijayawada in connection with an alleged Skill Development Corporation scam on Sunday early morning. According to the officials, the former CM was produced before the court within 24 hours of his arrest.

Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh): An Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) Court granted 14 days remand to former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo Chandrababu Naidu. Naidu will reportedly taken to Rajahmundry Central Jail. The ACB Court has remanded the TDP Chief till the 22nd of this month. Naidu was arrested yesterday for an alleged skill development scam.

Earlier on Sunday morning, Naidu was produced before the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court in Vijayawada in connection with an alleged Skill Development Corporation scam. According to the officials, the former CM was produced before the court within 24 hours of his arrest.

On Saturday, Chandrababu Naidu was arrested by the Andhra Pradesh Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection to an alleged corruption case. According to officials, the case pertains to the establishment of clusters of Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in the state of Andhra Pradesh, with a total estimated project value of Rs 3300 crore.

The agency officials also claimed that the alleged fraud has caused a huge loss to the state government in excess of Rs 300 crores. As per the CID, the investigation has revealed serious irregularities such as before any expenditure by private entities, the then state government provided an advance of Rs 371 crores, representing the entire 10 per cent commitment by the government.

Most of the money advanced by the government was diverted to shell companies through fake invoices, with no actual delivery or sale of the items mentioned in the invoices, CID officials said.

In its remand report, the CID has said that according to the investigation so far, the total amount spent by private entities on six skill development clusters is sourced exclusively from funds advanced by the Government of AP and AP Skill Development Center, totalling Rs 371 crores. (With ANI Inputs)