The Telugu Desam Party of N Chandrababu Naidu has requested a bandh in Andhra Pradesh on Monday in opposition to the former chief minister’s detention in connection with a case involving the theft of public funds. The Jana Sena Party, or JSP, of Pawan Kalyan has endorsed the proposal for a state bandh.
Chandrababu Naidu was sentenced to 14 days in judicial prison on Sunday, one day after his arrest in a case involving allegations of corruption at the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation.
TDP AP President K Atchannaidu urged party members, the general public, and civil society to join the protest and make it successful in a statement.
Chandrababu Naidu was placed in judicial prison for 14 days by a Vijayawada municipal court in connection with an alleged multi-million dollar corruption scheme. According to Andhra Pradesh CID chief N Sanjay, he was detained in connection with a fraud case involving the misuse of funds from the Skill Development Corporation, which cost the state government $300 million.
The leader of the JSP, Pawan Kalyan, alleged that the YSR Congress Party engaged in “anti-social activities” in Andhra Pradesh. It further claimed that the state’s YSRCP administration was “harassing” the opposition groups. Kalyan also asked the JSP employees to take part in the bandh “peacefully” in a statement.
Chandrababu Naidu was remanded to 14 days of judicial imprisonment and then sent to Rajamundry Central prison. Prior to the former chief minister’s remand, the jail has been heavily police-secured.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court in Vijayawada incarcerated Naidu until September 23.
The TDP chief was provided with home-cooked food, medication, and a special room among other luxuries during his two-week incarceration, according to a court order.
Prior to this, TDP supporters in Visakhapatnam went on a hunger strike after becoming distraught at the arrest of their leader.
The CID claimed in its remand report that Chandrababu Naidu was “non-cooperative” during interrogation and that despite plans to fly him from Nandyal, where he was detained, to Vijayawada, he refused and instead chose to drive there, having his convoy repeatedly blocked by irate TDP members.
The then-state government granted an advance of 371 crore, which represented the whole 10% commitment by the government, prior to any expenditure by private firms, among other severe irregularities, according to the CID. According to CID officers, the majority of the funds given by the government were reportedly transferred to shell businesses using fictitious invoices, with no actual delivery or sale of the goods indicated in the invoices.
