"Chandrababu kingpin of scams...arrest after thorough probe": YSCRP General Secretary Ramakrishna Reddy
Sep 09, 2023
Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], September 9 : YSRCP General Secretary Sajjala Rama krishnaReddy on Saturday said that former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is a kingpin of scams adding that he was arrested after thorough probe and investigation.
Addressing the media, Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said, "The arrest of Chandrababu Naidu is not an overnight affair but was the result of a thorough investigation into the skill development scam. There is no need for political victimization when it comes to Chandrababu Naidu. Law is taking a due course as the scam is an economic offence of the highest order."
"CID registered FIR on the skill development scam on December 9, 2021, thoroughly probed the case and based on evidence, Chandrababu was arrested for questioning following due procedure," he said adding that the Government would never resort to politics of victimisation.
Earlier Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department (CID) arrested Naidu in connection with an alleged Skill Development Corporation scam.
According to CID, this case revolves around the establishment of clusters of Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in the state of Andhra Pradesh, with a total estimated project value of Rs 3300 crores.
The agency also claimed that the alleged fraud has caused a huge loss to the Government of Andhra Pradesh in excess of 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 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.
