TDP Leader Chandrababu Naidu Placed in 14-Day Judicial Custody in Skill Development Scam Case

In connection with an alleged Skill Development Corporation scam, N Chandrababu Naidu, the leader of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), has been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody until September 23, as per the ruling by Judge Himabindu at the Vijayawada ACB court on Sunday.

Following his arrest by the Andhra Pradesh Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Saturday, Naidu was promptly brought before the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court in Vijayawada on Sunday morning.

The case revolves around the creation of clusters of Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in Andhra Pradesh, with a total project value estimated at Rs 3300 crore. The alleged fraudulent activities have reportedly led to a substantial loss exceeding Rs 300 crores to the state government.

CID officials have disclosed that the investigation has uncovered significant irregularities, including the government’s advance payment of Rs 371 crores to private entities prior to any expenditure. These funds were subsequently funneled into shell companies through fictitious invoices, with no actual delivery or sale of the goods mentioned in these invoices.

The CID’s remand report highlights that, based on current findings, the entire expenditure by private entities on six skill development clusters was exclusively sourced from funds advanced by the Government of Andhra Pradesh and the AP Skill Development Center, totaling Rs 371 crores.