The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu, was detained today on suspicion of corruption and sent to Vijayawada.
The TDP leader was detained in relation to a 317 crore alleged scam at the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation that occurred during his leadership. The organization was created during the TDP administration to teach young people in skills.
Following high drama after midnight, Mr. Naidu was brought into prison by police from the Andhra Pradesh Criminal Investigation Department early this morning.
Late last night, the police arrived at a Nandyal event venue to serve Mr. Naidu with an arrest order. They tried to arrest him, but the TDP chief’s supporters objected, thus they were unable to do so.
A minor scuffle also broke out between the cops and Mr Naidu’s supporters. Mr Naidu has alleged that cops have no evidence. “Show me where my name is. How can they arrest me without basic evidence?”
Police are overheard asserting that they have evidence and that the remand report has everything as TDP supporters question the officers throughout the altercation.
It was said in the notice given to Naidu by senior officer Dhanunjayudu of the CID’s Economic Offenses Wing: “It is to inform you that you have been arrested… at 6 am at R K Function Hall, Gnanapuram, H/o Moolasagaram, Nandyala town and it is a non-bailable offence.”
The former Chief Minister has been accused with violating sections 465, cheating, and fraudulently inducing the delivery of property. Additionally, the Prevention of Corruption Act has been used.
No force on earth can stop me from serving Telugu people, Mr. Naidu wrote in a post on his official X account following his incarceration.
“For the past 45 years, I have selflessly served Telugu people. I am prepared to sacrifice my life to safeguard the interests of Telugu people. No force on earth can stop me from serving Telugu people, my #AndhraPradesh and my motherland,” the post read.
Days after asserting that he might be detained soon, Mr. Naidu was arrested. The TDP leader warned that he might be detained either today or tomorrow at a public event in the Anantapur district. They might possibly hurt me. No, they’ll commit several atrocities.
A senior official of the state CID referred to Mr. Naidu as the “prime accused” in connection with the suspected fraud in his speech to the media. The construction of centers of excellence in Andhra Pradesh is essential to this case, according to N Sanjaya, Additional DGP of the Andhra CID.
“The Andhra Pradesh government released 371 crore, of which a significant portion was diverted and just a minor portion used to build the centers of excellence. The majority of this money was misappropriated by using phony invoices and shell corporations.
According to the investigation, Mr. Naidu was the “principal conspirator” in the case, and it was under his “active leadership” that government funds were transferred to private firms through shell companies, the officer claimed.
The TDP leader’s detention has been denounced by the state BJP. Daggubati Purandeswari, the head of the BJP in the state, said police should have followed protocol rather than detaining Mr. Naidu without sufficient notification.
