09-09-2023 : In a significant turn of events, Chandrababu Naidu, the President of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, was apprehended in the early hours of Saturday. This arrest stems from his alleged involvement in a case related to misappropriation of funds in a Skill Development project, amounting to a staggering Rs 371 crore. Naidu was reportedly transferred to Vijayawada following his detention.
The episode unfolded when officers from the Andhra Pradesh Criminal Investigation Department arrived at Nandyal, where Naidu had spent the night after addressing a gathering of women in the Kurnool district. Armed with an arrest warrant, the authorities sought to take him into custody. However, their efforts were met with resistance from fervent TDP supporters who questioned the timing of the late-night action against their leader. Regrettably, a minor scuffle ensued between the police and party workers during this tense confrontation.
Chandrababu Naidu, a former Chief Minister and the current opposition leader in the state assembly, was eventually taken into custody around 6 a.m. from the RK Function Hall at Gnanapuram. The Deputy Superintendent of Police of the CID’s Economic Offences Wing, M. Dhanunjayudu, issued a notice to Naidu, formally informing him of his arrest. The notice stated, “It is to inform you that you have been arrested… at 6 a.m. at R K Function Hall, Gnanapuram, H/o Moolasagaram, Nandyala town and it is a non-bailable offence.”
Naidu’s arrest is made under several pertinent sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), and 465 (forgery), as indicated in the notice. Furthermore, the Andhra Pradesh CID has invoked the Prevention of Corruption Act against him. The notice was issued in accordance with CrPC Section 50 (1) (2).
It is worth noting that on September 6, during a public gathering in Rayadurgam, Anantapur district, Naidu had hinted at the possibility of his imminent arrest. He expressed concerns that he might face arrest or even physical harm, alluding to the actions of the YSRCP government. Naidu claimed that, despite his long political career spanning 45 years, no one had dared to file a suit against him, emphasizing the absence of concrete proof or evidence to support the allegations. He also alleged that former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy had initiated multiple cases against him, all of which had failed to tarnish his reputation or impact his standing.