By – Prakarsh Kastwar
Chandrababu Naidu, the leader of the TDP, was sent in judicial custody till September 23 by a Vijaywada anti-corruption bureau court in connection with an alleged scheme involving skill development.
Chandrababu Naidu, the leader of the TDP, was placed in judicial detention on Sunday by an anti-corruption bureau (ACB) court in Vijaywada in relation to an alleged skill development fraud.
Early on Saturday morning, the former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh was taken into custody in Nandyal. Around three in the morning, a police team arrived to detain the leader of the Telugu Desam Party while he slept. His party members gathered in great numbers to oppose the arrest, so they were unable to take him into custody.
The TDP leader’s security detail also interfered, stating that it was against the law to allow police to detain him before 5.30am. Around 6 am, Naidu was ultimately taken into custody.
Naidu was detained in relation to the alleged 3,300 crore Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) scandal, which is said to have occurred while he served as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh.
The Andhra Pradesh Police’s Crime Investigation Department (CID) opened an investigation into the case in March of this year. The investigation was prompted by notices sent to Arja Srikanth, a former employee of the Indian Railway Traffic Service who served as CEO of the APSSDC in 2016. These notices were based on the assertions of an accused person who later became an approver and the testimony of three IAS officers.
In order to empower unemployed youngsters and offer skill training to improve their employability, the APSSDC was established in 2016.
The CID investigation claims that the project’s $3,300 crore memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by the Chandrababu Naidu administration at the time. A consortium involving Siemens Industry Software India Ltd. and Design Tech Systems Pvt. Ltd. was participating in the MoU.
There were supposed to be six centers of excellence for talent development established by Siemens Industry Software India Ltd. The Andhra government was expected to pay roughly 10% of the project’s overall cost. The two businesses would grant-in-aid the remaining sum.
According to CID’s investigation, the project was started without using the regular tendering procedure. The state cabinet is said to have rejected the initiative.