Legendary actor Rajinikanth on Wednesday called up TDP General Secretary Nara Lokesh to enquire about his father, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is in judicial custody for his alleged involvement in the Skill Development Scam.
Rajinikanth called CBN a "great friend and fighter" and asked his son Lokesh to be brave.
Reportedly, Rajinikanth conveyed to Lokesh that he believed Chandrababu would emerge unscathed from the allegations. He added that Chandrababu's focus on development initiatives and the welfare of the people would serve as a shield in his favor.
Rajinikanth reminisced about Chandrababu's accomplishments and reforms during the conversation, reportedly asserting that neither arrests nor allegations could hinder Naidu's momentum or diminish his popularity and reputation. He assured Lokesh that Naidu would continue to work tirelessly for the people, emphasizing that his dedication and discipline would yield positive results.
Rajinikanth's phone call to Lokesh serves as a significant morale boost for Chandrababu's family. It's worth noting that Rajinikanth had previously honored the role of chief guest at the NTR 100 Years celebrations held in Vijayawada on April 28th.
Meanwhile, south superstar and Jana Sena party chief Pawan Kalyan will be meeting Chandrababu Naidu in jail on Thursday.
Naidu in judicial custody till September 23
The former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and chief of the TDP, Chandrababu Naidu, has been remanded to judicial custody by a Vijaywada Court for a period of 14 days till September 23. This decision is in relation to his alleged involvement in a skill development scam.
The leader of opposition in Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly was arrested by state Crime Investigation Department (CID) on September 9. The CID has said that Chandrababu Naidu has been identified as the central figure and designated as "accused no 1" in the ₹371 crore skill development scam. According to the agency, the government order was issued on Naidu's directives, with the apparent intention of causing financial harm to the public treasury and benefiting private individuals.
Naidu denies any wrongdoing in court
The Crime Investigation Department (CID) presented Naidu before the court almost 24 hours after detaining him. The TDP chief personally addressed the judge, denouncing his arrest as unlawful and portraying it as an act of political vendetta perpetrated by the YSR Congress Party government.
N. Chandrababu Naidu, who appeared before a Vijayawada Anti-Corruption Bureau court following his arrest on Sunday morning, asserted in court that he has been wrongly implicated for political motives. He cited technicalities within the statutory provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and contended that there is no substantial accusation against him. Mr. Naidu urged the court to dismiss the remand report presented by the prosecuting agency.
What is Skill Development Scam?
Established in 2016 during the tenure of the TDP government in Andhra Pradesh, the APSSDC (Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation) aimed to empower unemployed youth through skill training.
An investigation initiated by the AP CID in March, with a reported scam amounting to ₹3,300 crore, revealed that the project was initiated without adhering to a proper tendering process, as reported by Hindustan Times.
Furthermore, the inquiry unearthed various irregularities within the program. These irregularities encompassed the absence of project approval from the Andhra Pradesh cabinet, the failure to utilize resources from Siemens Industry Software India (a consortium participant in the MoU signed during the TDP government's tenure), and the diversion of funds allocated for the project into shell companies.
