From 2014 to 2019, the Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government in Andhra Pradesh faced multiple financial scams, including the Skill Development Scam, the Amaravati Inner Ring Road (IRR) Scam, and the Liquor Scam. These suggest a pattern of systemic corruption, with Chandrababu and TDP leaders implicated in misappropriating public funds, manipulating infrastructure projects for personal gain, and running illicit liquor syndicates. Backed by evidence from the Andhra Pradesh CID and Enforcement Directorate (ED), these cases led to arrests, asset seizures, and ongoing investigations. Critics claim the current TDP coalition government is deflecting scrutiny by falsely accusing the YSRCP government of similar crimes.
Skill development scam
In the heart of Andhra Pradesh’s ambitious skill development initiative lay a shocking betrayal. The Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC), meant to empower youth with training, became a vehicle for a Rs. 371 crore scam. Chandrababu, named the primary accused by the CID, orchestrated a fake project under Siemens’ name without the German company’s knowledge. Funds were funneled through shell companies in Pune and Delhi, with Rs. 241 crore ultimately landing in Chandrababu’s hands via his aide, Pendyala Srinivas. The scam involved inflated project costs, from Rs. 370 crore to Rs. 3,300 crore, and relied on loyalists like retired IAS officer K. Lakshminarayana and Ganta Subbarao, who held multiple key posts.
The CID charged Chandrababu under various IPC sections and the Prevention of Corruption Act, leading to his arrest in September 2023. He spent 52 days in Rajahmundry Central Jail before securing bail on health grounds. The ED seized Rs. 54.74 crore in assets, and witnesses, including IAS officers and company executives, confirmed Chandrababu’s direct orders to bypass regulations. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) pegged the state’s loss at Rs. 355 crore, exposing a meticulously planned scheme that betrayed Andhra’s youth.
Amaravati inner Ring Road scam
Amaravati, envisioned as Andhra Pradesh’s grand capital, became a playground for Chandrababu’s greed. The Inner Ring Road (IRR) project, meant to boost connectivity, was manipulated to enrich TDP allies. The original 94-km alignment was shifted 3 km south to a 97.5-km route, ensuring it passed through lands owned by Heritage Foods (Chandrababu’s family business), Minister Ponguru Narayana’s educational institutions, and Chandrababu’s benami, Lingamaneni Ramesh. This realignment skyrocketed land values, Lingamaneni’s 355 acres jumped from Rs. 177.50 crore to a potential Rs. 2,130 crore, while Heritage’s 13 acres rose from Rs. 4.50 crore to Rs. 54 crore.
Chandrababu, as CRDA Chairman, and Narayana, as Vice-Chairman, pressured officials to redesign the IRR, engaging Singapore-based Surbana Jurong and STUP consultancies to rubber-stamp the changes. A quid pro quo deal reportedly earned Chandrababu a lavish Karakatta bungalow from Lingamaneni. The CID named Chandrababu, Narayana, Lingamaneni, and Nara Lokesh as accused, attaching assets in 2023. TDP associates, including Sujana Chowdary (694.87 acres) and Lokesh (62.77 acres), collectively held 2,143.17 acres along the IRR, reaping massive profits from the manipulated alignment.
Liquor syndicate scam
Chandrababu’s government also ran a sprawling liquor syndicate, costing the state Rs. 6,500 crore. By abolishing the privilege fee through secretive 2015 orders, Chandrababu enabled TDP loyalists to profit from 4,380 private liquor shops, 4,380 permit rooms, and 43,000 illegal belt shops. He licensed 14 distilleries, controlled by TDP leaders like Ayyanna Patrudu and Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, and introduced 200 obscure liquor brands, such as Power Star and British Empire Ultra. Over half the state’s liquor came from just four distilleries, facilitated by a flawed C-Tel software.
The CAG confirmed a Rs. 5,000 crore loss, and the CID filed charges against Chandrababu in 2023. In contrast, the YSRCP government (2019-24) eliminated private shops, reduced liquor outlets to 2,934 government-run stores, and banned belt shops and permit rooms, enforcing strict controls. The current TDP coalition, critics say, is fabricating a YSRCP liquor scam to deflect blame, with its SIT coercing false statements from distillery owners and former officials like Vasudeva Reddy. Legal challenges by distillery representatives have exposed these tactics as politically motivated.
Under scrutiny
Chandrababu Naidu is turning Andhra Pradesh into a hub of corruption. The Skill Development Scam robbed youth of opportunities, the IRR Scam enriched a select few, and the Liquor Scam drained public coffers. With CID evidence, ED seizures, and CAG reports, paint a damning picture. As investigations continue, the TDP’s efforts to shift blame onto the YSRCP only deepen the public’s demand for accountability. Andhra Pradesh waits to see if justice will unravel this tangled web of deceit.
