The Andhra Pradesh Criminal Investigation Department (CID) initiated the interrogation of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and former state Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who was arrested on Saturday and identified as the 'principal conspirator' in the Skill Development Corporation scam. This alleged scam is said to have caused a financial loss of approximately Rs 300 crore to the state government. Following Naidu's transfer from Nandyal to Vijayawada via road, the questioning process commenced late on Saturday at the CID office, as reported by news agency PTI, citing sources.
Earlier in the day, Naidu wrote to CID officials requesting permission for a crucial meeting with his legal team, news agency ANI reported.
Naidu's arrest came as a result of an early morning police operation, where officers knocked on the door of the caravan in which he was sleeping. He was taken into custody by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at around 6 AM from a marriage hall in Gnanapuram, Nandyala town, where his caravan was parked.
The TDP reacted quickly to Naidu's arrest, K Atchannaidu, the party's president in Andhra Pradesh, issued a statement urging party cadres to join a state-wide hunger strike planned for Sunday. The strike is intended to show their displeasure with what they see as the "illegal" arrest of their party's supremo, as per a report by news agency PTI.
As Naidu was being transported to Vijayawada from Nandyal, hundreds of his supporters gathered along the 300-kilometer route, resulting in roadblocks and police having to resort to lathi charges to clear the way. The convoy faced opposition near TDP and Jana Sena offices in Mangalagiri, where protestors burned tires and blocked the road.
Upon his arrival in Vijayawada, Naidu was brought to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) office at Kunchanapalli, a Vijayawada suburb. Protests by TDP supporters continued outside the SIT office, with many raising slogans in support of the party president, the report said.
According to the report, it is expected that Naidu will be kept at the SIT office until the CID officials complete the necessary paperwork, and he may undergo questioning there before being taken to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court for arraignment. The details of Naidu's medical examination, whether it will occur at the SIT office or a government hospital in the city, remain unclear.
Renowned Supreme Court lawyer Sidharth Luthra will represent Naidu in the case, news agency IANS reported. Luthra, who arrived in Vijayawada specifically for this purpose, has previously represented Naidu in various legal matters, including the note-for-vote case in Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, according to the report, Naidu's son, Nara Lokesh, who was initially barred from visiting his father in Nandyal, has been strategising with legal counsel at his home in Undavalli, Amaravati. Lokesh is expected to meet with his father at the SIT office or during court proceedings as they prepare for the upcoming legal challenges.