VIJAYAWADA: Calling the alleged Rs 371 crore Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) scam as the biggest of its kind in the country, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu masterminded it.
Speaking in the State Assembly on Monday, the CM said, “The scam was orchestrated by a skilled criminal. Naidu having mastered the art of looting people, money changed hands through shell companies. Unfortunately, students have been the biggest sufferers.”
During his concluding remarks on Global Investors Summit-Skill Development for youth, the CM elaborated on how Naidu allegedly executed the scam. “TDP chief had skillfully orchestrated the scam by getting an unauthorised private note of estimates approved in the Cabinet meeting leading to the issuance of GO and then, signing a totally different MoU in order to loot public money,” the CM said.
Jagan Mohan Reddy, who claimed that he has the evidence to nail the former Chief Minister, presented note files, GOs and copies of MoU apart from the tweets of the Enforcement Directorate to buttress his claims.
“The scam involved Rs 371 crore of public money, which was allegedly routed to various shell companies and later to the accounts of those living in Hyderabad at that time,” Jagan said while referring to Naidu. Elaborating on the matter further, the Chief Minister said that Naidu scripted and directed the alleged scam so cunningly that the provisions of the GO issued and the conditions of the MoU were completely different.
Jagan accuses former TDP govt of tampering with skill ‘scam’ files
“The Cabinet-approved private note and the related GO talked of 90% of the proposed total project cost of Rs 3,356 crore for the skill development of the youth in the State coming from Siemens in the form of grant-in-aid. However, there was no mention of the grant-in-aid in the MoU. While the GO mentioned 10% of project cost being borne by the State government as a contribution, it was changed as financial assistance in the provisions of the MoU,’’ he said.
“The grant-in-aid never came from Siemens, but the TDP government hurriedly paid the 10% of the project cost equalling Rs 371 crore in five tranches in a short period of three months. When the lower-level officials objected to the release of the financial aid without the grant-in-aid coming in from Siemens, Naidu directed the officials to release the amount. The money went to the shell companies abroad and was rerouted to Naidu’s pockets through money laundering channels,’’ Jagan Reddy said and presented the note files signed by the Principal Finance Secretary and the then CS to this effect.
“In this case, it was the GST intelligence unit that brought the scam to light.
Later, a whistleblower alerted the State Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) about the scam but it was not probed,’’ Jagan Mohan Reddy said adding the ACB chief reports directly to the Chief Minister indicating that the then CM had hushed up the issue.
Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged attempts were made to destroy the files by the TDP government, however, those were dug out with the use of shadow files from other departments.
He added that Siemens also officially told the court that it never implemented any skill development training schemes and it had nothing to do with the related GO or the MoU signed by the then TDP government.
“Siemens also told the court, in its affidavit, that the arrested company officials with whom the TDP government signed the MoU never brought it to the notice of the higher management and they signed the agreement in their private capacity,” he said.
Winding up his speech, Jagan Mohan Reddy said, “If I press a button, money is deposited directly into the account of a beneficiary. But if Chandrababu Naidu presses a button, money is deposited
directly into his own account.”