In a significant development, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu has been placed in judicial custody for 14 days by a local court in Vijayawada. This action comes in connection with his alleged involvement in a multi-crore corruption scam related to the Skill Development Corporation. The arrest itself occurred during a pre-dawn operation in Nandyal, where officers apprehended Naidu from his caravan parked outside a marriage hall in Gnanapuram.
The arrest saga spanned over 36 hours, ultimately leading to the remand order being issued by the Anti-Corruption Bureau Court on Sunday evening. The alleged fraud case involves a substantial sum of Rs 370 crore, with Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy, AP Additional Advocate General, asserting the court's acceptance of their arguments, PTI reported.
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The charges against Naidu pertain to his alleged role in misappropriating funds from the Skill Development Corporation, resulting in a substantial loss of Rs 300 crore to the state government, according to AP CID Chief N Sanjay.
Naidu's impending incarceration may see him housed in the Rajamahendravaram central jail, located approximately 200 km away from Vijayawada, although the timing of his transfer remains uncertain.
The news of Naidu's arrest has garnered reactions from various quarters. Sridhar Vembu, CEO of the global technology company Zoho, expressed his surprise and hope for justice through a social media post. Meanwhile, TDP supporters had planned a one-day fast in protest of Naidu's detention, but these demonstrations were met with police intervention in multiple locations.
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In a display of international solidarity, the Telugu Desam Party shared videos of supporters protesting Naidu's arrest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue near the British Parliament in London.
