ED Clears Chandrababu Naidu in Skill Development Scam, Disputes AP Police’s 2023 Accusations

Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has officially cleared former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader N Chandrababu Naidu of any involvement in the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) scam. This decision counters the claims made by the Andhra Pradesh Police in 2023, which led to Naidu’s arrest during YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tenure as Chief Minister.

The allegations centered around the misuse of funds from the APSSDC Siemens Project, a scheme aimed at enhancing skill development in the state. The ED, however, found no evidence linking Naidu to the financial misconduct.

The ED’s Hyderabad Zonal Office had initially attached properties worth Rs. 23.54 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection to the case. Their probe revealed that individuals such as Vikas Vinayak Khanvelkar of Designtech Systems Private Limited (DTSPL) and Soumyadri Sekhar Bose of Siemens Industry Software India diverted government funds through shell companies and fake invoices.

While several arrests were made in the case, including Khanvelkar and Bose, the ED's latest findings clear Naidu of any wrongdoing, refuting the AP Police's accusations.