TDP calls for State-wide Bandh tomorrow in protest against arrest of party chief

AMRAVATI: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has called for a State-wide Bandh tomorrow in protest against the arrest of party chief N Chandrababu Naidu.

Meanwhile, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu was on Sunday sent to 14 days judicial custody in connection with an alleged Skill Development Corporation scam.

On Saturday, Chandrababu Naidu was arrested by the Andhra Pradesh Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with an alleged corruption case.

According to officials, the case pertains to the establishment of clusters of Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in the state of Andhra Pradesh, with a total estimated project value of Rs 3,300 crore.

The agency officials also claimed that the alleged fraud has caused a huge loss to the state government in excess of Rs 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 officials 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.