FiberNet Scam case: Andhra Pradesh CID files transit warrant for Chandrababu Naidu

Andhra Pradesh Police have submitted a prisoner transit (PT) warrant, requesting the custody of TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu in connection with the AP FiberNet Scam case, which involves an alleged loss of Rs 114 crore to the state government.

Special Public Prosecutor Y N Vivekananda, representing AP Crime Investigation Department (CID) told PTI that the warrant was filed in the ACB Court in Vijayawada late on Tuesday.

The state CID has alleged that tender manipulation was done in the case to allot work order under Phase-1 of the AP FiberNet Project of Rs 330 crore to a favoured company.

Several irregularities took place from the allotting of the tender to completion of the total project, causing a huge loss to the exchequer, according to a note circulated to reporters from government sources.

Further, sub-standard material, violating the conditions and non-adherence to the specifications mentioned in request for proposal (RFP) while executing the project resulted in nearly 80 per cent of the capacity of the optic fiber cable becoming unusable, it said.

As the erstwhile chief minister, Naidu, who was holding the portfolios of energy, infrastructure and investment departments allegedly personally recommended the FiberNet project to be executed by the Energy I & I Department, instead of the IT Department.

Further, Naidu allegedly approved the estimates of this project without considering the fact that market survey was not undertaken and coerced officials to include one Vemuri Harikrishna Prasad in various tender evaluation committees.

The then government allotted the project to Tera Software company, which was blacklisted earlier. It revoked this blacklisting before awarding the contract, despite protests by other bidders.

Besides Prasad, managing director of Net India, a Hyderabad-based company, IRTS officer K Sambasiva Rao, who is currently working as the chief commercial manager, passenger marketing, South Central Railways, Secunderabad has also been named as accused in this case.

The CID alleged that the accused persons misappropriated the funds by funnelling them through a web of companies belonging to their associates using fake invoices.

Naidu was included as accused number 25 (A-25) in the FiberNet case.

AP FiberNet Scam case pertains to crime number 24/2021 and Naidu has been booked under IPC Sections 166, 167, 418, 465, 468, 471, 409 and 506 read with 120-B, including Section 13 (2) read with 13 (1) (C) (D) of PC Act 1988.

Besides the FiberNet case, the CID has also filed a PT warrant in the same Court naming Naidu as A-1 in Inner Ring Road (IRR) and Seed Capital Case, which pertains to manipulating master plan of the Amaravati capital city, alignment of inner ring road and the seed capital to offer undue enrichment to several companies.

The TDP chief was arrested on September 9, in connection with a case involving misappropriation of funds from the Skill Development Corporation, leading to an alleged loss of over Rs 300 crore to the state government.

He is currently lodged in the Rajamahendravaram central prison.

(With agency inputs)