VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department (APCID) on Monday arrested former IAS officer Ghanta Subba Rao in connection with the alleged Rs 241 crore Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) scam.
The prime accused in the case, Rao, was formerly the special secretary, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department, and was also the founder Managing Director and CEO of APSSDC.
The APCID took up the financial fraud case based on a complaint by the present APSSDC Chairman K Ajay Reddy. A case was registered under relevant sections of the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act against 26 people, including Rao and another retired government official Lakshmi Narayana on December 9, 2021.
It has been alleged that public funds were swindled using shell companies by raising fake invoices, creating a Rs 241 crore loss to the State exchequer. The crime dates back to 2014, during the TDP regime. The APSSDC had entered into an MoA with Siemens Industry Software India Ltd and DesignTech Systems Pvt Ltd for imparting hi-end technology training.
Siemens allegedly offered training programmes in collaboration with various State governments for youngsters and unemployed youth. The CID alleged that former managing director Rao, former director K Lakshmi Narayana and other officials, along with some private companies flouted rules and caused loss to the State exchequer.
Rao was arrested after APCID held and produced three persons, Soumyadri Shekhar Bose alias Suman Bose, former MD of Siemens, Vikas Vinayak Khanvalkar, CMD of Pune-based DesignTech, and Mukul Agarwal, COO of Skiller Enterprises India Pvt Ltd, in connection with the case.
Remanded till Dec 24
Former IAS officer Ghanta Subba Rao was produced before the Special ACB court and remanded in judicial custody till December 24.