Andhra CID serves notice to Lokesh in Delhi for questioning in Inner Ring Road scam

The Andhra Pradesh Police served a notice to TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh in New Delhi on Saturday (September 30), summoning him to appear on October 4 for questioning in the Amaravati Inner Ring Road scam case.

The CID informed the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday that it would serve notice under Section 41A of the CrPC for questioning.

“During the investigation of FIR in crime…it is revealed that there are reasonable grounds to question you to ascertain facts and circumstances from you, about the present investigation. Hence, you are directed to appear before me on October 4 at 10 am,” said the investigation officer in the notice.

Lokesh, son of former Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, is required to appear at the CID's Economic Offences Wing-II office in Tadepalli. CID officials met Lokesh at the Delhi residence of Guntur Member of Lok Sabha Jayadev Galla, where the TDP general secretary is currently staying, according to a statement from the party.

As per the statement, Lokesh confirmed to CID officials on WhatsApp that he received the notices. Recently, the CID filed a memo in a court here naming Lokesh as accused number 14 (A-14) in the Amaravati Inner Ring Road Scam.

The Inner Ring Road case pertains to manipulating the master plan of Amaravati capital city, alignment of the inner ring road and the seed capital to allegedly offer undue advantage to several companies during Naidu’s tenure as the chief minister.

Lokesh is currently camping in Delhi, holding discussions with legal experts to obtain relief for his father who is in judicial remand in the Rajamahendravaram central prison for his alleged role in the Skill Development Corporation scam case, according to TDP sources.

Naidu was arrested on September 9, for allegedly misappropriating funds from the Skill Development Corporation, which resulted in a purported loss of over Rs 300 crore to the state exchequer.

(With agency inputs)