YSRC seeks probe by CBI, central agencies into Rs 118 crore kickbacks to Naidu

Vijayawada: The YSR Congress has sought the arrest and questioning of Telugu Desam chief Chandrababu Naidu in the Rs 118 crore “bribe” linked to the Amaravati constructions when he was chief minister.

Former MLC Dokka Manikya Varaprasad pointed out that the IT department issued a show cause notice to Chandrababu but there was no response. “Chandrababu should be immediately summoned, taken into custody and investigated,” he said.

Addressing the media here on Sunday, Varaprasad said an investigation by the CBI or other central agencies was of prime importance to unearth the facts. “The central government should help prevent misuse of public funds and hence it should investigate the Naidu case.”

Varaprasad sought the immediate arrests by the IT department of Vicky Jain and Manoj Parthasani to get at the truth about the gross misuse of public money.

“Why is the pro-TD media not writing about the IT notices? The IT department gave a show cause notice to Chandrababu on August 4, 2023. This investigation by tax officials was on for the past two years. The looted public money should be handed over to the treasury,” he said.

The former MLC said the IT department quoted Manoj Parthasani as saying Rs 118 crore was given to Chandrababu through hidden sources in 2014-19.

“Chandrababu raised a technical issue that the central IT department has no locus standi to investigate this matter, but he did not give a reply. He did not deny the charge other than writing letters to the IT department. He did not say he had not taken this money. The Income Tax Department should investigate how these thousands of crores disappeared,” he said.

“The IT department says the money was sent to Chandrababu through Vicky Jain. All details of the kickbacks are there in their WhatsApp chats and they mentioned the name of Chandrababu to the IT department,” he said.

He asserted that a thorough investigation by the IT department will reveal more details of the money.