Naidu's arrest not illegal, says YSRC

Vijayawada: YSRC general-secretary and government adviser (public affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy has said Telugu Desam leaders’ allegation that Chandrababu Naidu’s arrest was illegal, is “totally false and untrue.”

Addressing the media here on Wednesday, the adviser said Naidu was arrested after collecting the evidence of his involvement in the skill development scam and examining how the money was routed to shell companies from the government.

Through a power point presentation, Ramakrishna Reddy explained how the skill development scam was perpetrated by Naidu and slush funds reached him through shell companies. “Naidu, during the five years of his rule of AP, committed financial irregularities like never before. Naidu’s skill development scam has caused a direct loss to the government exchequer. The scheme was designed to rob public money through shell companies. TD has looted hundreds of crores and caused loss to the government treasury.”

He said the CID remand report has complete evidence about the involvement of Naidu in the scam and even the national investigation agencies have revealed the same.

Ramakrishna Reddy said, “A section of the people say that putting Naidu behind the bars in the Rajahmundry central prison was illegal. Is Naidu above law and do the provisions of the Constitution not apply to Naidu despite his involvement in the scam?”

He said, seeking house arrest, instead of prison for Naidu, was not correct. “Naidu is well taken care of in the central prison in Rajahmundry by the government. It allotted him a separated block, which is under CCTV surveillance and he is given tight security.”

Ramakrishna Reddy said food, medicines and refreshments are sent to Naidu from his home daily and Naidu was enjoying a royal treatment in the prison. “Naidu is trying to get sympathy from all by remaining in jail.”

He said the Siemens company made it clear that they had nothing to do with the skill development scam. “Chandrababu Naidu is the mastermind of this conspiracy and he succeeded in setting up a scheme to rob public money. Naidu was over-confident and indulged in corruption in the hope that he would be the CM forever.”