YSR Congress Protests Closure Of Skill Scam Case Against Chandrababu Naidu

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has alleged that the Telugu Desam Party-led Andhra Pradesh government was involved in a cover-up after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Court closed the Skill Development scam case against Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

The party is planning to appeal in the High Court against the closure of the case by an ACB court in Vijayawada.

YSRCP State General Secretary and former Additional Advocate General Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy slammed the court's decision to accept a CID final report claiming "no evidence" of a scam.

"The skilled development case is a scam involving the state government and Siemens. The government was supposed to contribute 10 per cent of the project cost, but the money was siphoned off through shell companies," Reddy alleged.

He claimed the CID, which earlier filed a charge sheet implicating Naidu, is now "speaking with a double tongue" by submitting a "refer charge sheet."

Earlier in an official X post, YSRCP alleged that the CID, which is under the central government, has taken a "U-turn". "CID's final report in Skill Scam: No evidence! The earlier charge sheet accused Naidu. Now, under the TDP govt, it's closed as a 'mistake of fact'. Justice sold?" the post read.

The party has dismissed the closure as a "mistake of fact", and said that the petitioner was not provided a proper record for review amid secrecy over the order and report.

On September 9, 2023, then leader of opposition Naidu was arrested over alleged fund misuse in the state-Siemens project during his tenure as chief minister. Naidu spent 53 days in the Rajahmundry Jail.

The YSRCP alleged that the state and Naidu have merged, shielding those involved despite Enforcement Directorate probes.