Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu was arrested in the early hours of Saturday, in connection with an alleged Rs 371 crore Skill Development case. He has, reportedly, been shifted to Vijayawada.
Andhra Pradesh Criminal Investigation Department officers reached Nandyal, where Naidu had retired for the night after addressing a women's gathering in Kurnool district, with an arrest warrant against him. However, they could not take him into custody as TDP supporters protested. They questioned the late-night action against Naidu.
A minor scuffle, too, broke out between the police and the party workers.
The former Andhra Pradesh chief minister, who is also the opposition leader in the state assembly, was finally arrested around 6am from RK Function Hall at Gnanapuram, an official said.
In a notice served to Naidu, the Deputy Superintendent of Police of the CID's Economic Offences Wing (EOW), M. Dhanunjayudu, said, "It is to inform you that you have been arrested... at 6 am at R K Function Hall, Gnanapuram, H/o Moolasagaram, Nandyala town and it is a non-bailable offence."
Naidu has been arrested under relevant IPC sections, including Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 465 (forgery), according to the notice. The Andhra Pradesh CID has also invoked the Prevention of Corruption Act against him.
The notice was served under CrPC Section 50 (1) (2).
Interestingly, on September 6, in a public meeting at Rayadurgam in Anantapur district, Naidu had said he could be arrested soon.
"Today or tomorrow they could arrest me. They may even attack me. Not one, they will do many atrocities," Naidu said, targeting the YSRCP government.
He had said that that nobody dared to file a suit against him in 45 years, and added that there was no proof or evidence against him.
He had also said that former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy had allegedly filed several cases against him but had failed to cause any damage to him.
