In a major relief to former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has stated that there is no evidence linking him to money laundering in the high-profile AP Skill Development Corporation case. The ED made this clear in a supplementary chargesheet filed on January 31 before the Special PMLA Court in Visakhapatnam, where it did not name Chandrababu Naidu as an accused.
According to the chargesheet, the central agency found no material to establish Naidu’s involvement in the alleged diversion or laundering of funds related to the Skill Development project. This comes after the Andhra Pradesh Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had earlier submitted a closure report in the same case, stating that there was no proof to proceed against him. A Vijayawada court has since accepted the CID’s closure report, effectively bringing an end to the allegations at the state level as well.
The AP Skill Development case had led to the arrest of Chandrababu Naidu in September 2023, triggering intense political debate across Andhra Pradesh. He spent more than 50 days in judicial custody before being granted bail in October 2023. The case had drawn national attention, with opposition parties alleging political vendetta and misuse of investigative agencies.
Despite the ED and CID findings, the YSR Congress Party has continued to allege that the case was deliberately weakened after the Telugu Desam Party returned to power, claiming a cover-up by the state government. The ruling party, however, maintains that the investigations followed due legal process and that the truth has now emerged through official court filings.
Legal experts note that the ED’s decision not to name Chandrababu Naidu as an accused, combined with the court’s acceptance of the CID closure report, significantly weakens the case against him. For now, the developments mark a crucial turning point in one of the most politically sensitive cases in recent Andhra Pradesh politics, reinforcing the former Chief Minister’s stand that the allegations were baseless.