Enforcement Directorate Attaches Assets Worth Rs 23 Crore in Andhra Skill Development Corporation Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets exceeding Rs 23 crore in the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) Siemens Project case. The agency clarified that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu was not implicated in their investigation. Naidu, an ally of the Modi government, was previously arrested by the state CID under Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy's leadership.

On September 9 last year, Naidu faced arrest by CID officials for his alleged involvement in a Rs 371-crore scam linked to the Skill Development Corporation during his tenure as Chief Minister from 2014 to 2019. This money laundering probe originated from a CID FIR against Designtech Systems Private Limited (DTSPL) and others for allegedly misappropriating funds meant for the Siemens project.

Asset Attachment and Investigation Details

The ED issued a provisional order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach various properties, including bank deposits, shares, and residential properties in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Pune. These assets are valued at Rs 23.54 crore. The investigation revealed that Vikas Vinayak Khanvelkar, Managing Director of DTSPL, Soumyadri Sekhar Bose (also known as Suman Bose), former MD of Siemens Industry Software India Pvt Ltd, along with associates Mukul Chandra Agarwal and Suresh Goyal, diverted government funds using shell companies.

The funds were siphoned off through complex transactions supported by fake invoices under the guise of supplying materials or services. The ED stated that entry providers were employed to facilitate this fund diversion, receiving commissions for their services. Previously, the ED had attached fixed deposits worth Rs 31.20 crore belonging to DTSPL as part of this ongoing investigation.

Legal Proceedings and Arrests

Khanvelkar, Bose, Agarwal, and Goyal have been arrested by the ED. A charge sheet has been filed against them in a special PMLA court in Visakhapatnam. Following his arrest on September 9, Naidu spent nearly two months in Rajamahendravaram central jail. However, he was granted interim bail on October 31, which became permanent on November 20.

This release allowed Naidu to prepare for the upcoming 2024 elections. He is now positioned to rejoin the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) alongside Janasena, aiming for a significant political comeback.