Former AP CM Chandrababu Naidu faces ACB court in skill scam case

In a high-tension courtroom drama, former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was produced before the ACB Court in Vijayawada. The key event follows his arrest in connection with a skill development scam. Both the CID sleuths and Naidu’s legal counsel, Siddhartha Luthra, presented their arguments to the judge. Naidu himself spoke, asserting his innocence in the skill development scam. With the judge expected to deliver the verdict in a couple of hours, tension is palpable in the ACB Court premises.

Chandrababu Naidu argued for nearly 5-10 minutes before the judge, insisting he was not involved in the skill development scam. According to Naidu, the Cabinet’s decision to establish the Skill Development Corporation cannot be questioned as a criminal action. He also noted that his name was not included in the FIR filed in December 2021. His counsel, Siddhartha Luthra, spent more than an hour outlining the reasons why Naidu should not be implicated, mentioning that the case was reopened by the YCP government with ulterior motives.

The legal proceedings come after Chandrababu Naidu spent a sleepless night at the SIT office, undergoing a grueling interrogation session by CID sleuths that continued till the early hours of Sunday. Following this, Naidu underwent medical tests at a government hospital. Emotions ran high in the ACB Court when Naidu’s wife, Bhuvaneswari Devi, and his son, former minister Nara Lokesh, arrived. Both were seen discussing the case with Naidu and his legal team.

Outside the ACB Court, heavy police security has been deployed, with large gatherings of TDP cadre and the general public adding to the tension. As all eyes are on the ACB Court, the upcoming verdict is keenly awaited, potentially setting a legal precedent on the line between governmental decisions and criminal accountability in cases like the skill development scam.