Ministers Hail ED’s Clean Chit to Naidu in AP Skill Development Case

Vijayawada: Senior leaders and ministers of the Telugu Desam have on Sunday hailed the Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s clean chit to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in the Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation (APSDC) case. They called it a vindication of truth and rebuttal of what they described as politically motivated allegations.

The ED, in a supplementary chargesheet filed two days ago before a Visakhapatnam court, categorically stated that Chandrababu Naidu has no direct or indirect involvement in the alleged financial irregularities linked to the Skill Development project. The agency made it clear that its investigation did not find any evidence connecting the Chief Minister to the diversion or misuse of funds.

The case had originally been registered during the previous YSR Congress’ rule, alleging that funds related to the Skill Development Corporation contract had been misappropriated during Naidu’s earlier tenure as the chief minister. In 2023, Chandrababu Naidu had been arrested in the case and spent 53 days in the Rajamahendravaram Central Jail, a move that had triggered widespread political controversy.

Subsequently, the Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department (CID) informed the Vijayawada ACB court that there is no material to establish Chandrababu Naidu’s role in the case and formally withdrew the charges against him. With the ED now arriving at a similar conclusion, TD leaders said the allegations stand completely discredited.

In accordance with the ED chargesheet, cases have instead been filed against officials of Design Tech and Siemens companies, who allegedly received 10 per cent of government funds and diverted them through shell companies, leading to tax evasion. The agency clarified that once funds had been released as per procedure, the government had no further role in their utilisation.

Reacting to the ED’s findings, Agriculture minister K. Atchannaidu said clean chit is a “great moral victory” for Chandrababu Naidu’s spotless political career. “This verdict once again proves that Chandrababu Naidu is a leader who stands firmly by truth and justice. Despite vindictive conspiracies by the previous government, he respected the law and faced the case with courage,” Atchannaidu maintained.

Telugu Desam AP state president and MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao said the ED’s conclusion had exposed the political vendetta behind the case. “Both the CID and ED have confirmed that Chandrababu Naidu has no role in fund diversion. False allegations made with political malice have been thoroughly exposed,” he remarked.

Labour minister Vasamsetti Subhash said justice has finally prevailed. “Truth always comes out. The collapse of false cases has strengthened public faith in Chandrababu Naidu’s integrity, visionary governance and administrative competence,” he asserted.