In a significant turn of events, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has exonerated Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader, N. Chandrababu Naidu, from allegations in the multi-crore Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) scam. This conclusion sharply contradicts the earlier claims made by the Andhra Pradesh Police in 2023, which had led to Naidu’s arrest under the tenure of former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.Naidu was accused of being involved in the misappropriation of funds from the Siemens APSSDC project, which was established to boost skill development and entrepreneurship across the state. However, the ED’s comprehensive investigation found no evidence of his involvement in the alleged fund diversion central to the case.The ED, operating from its Hyderabad Zonal Office, had initially attached properties valued at Rs. 23.54 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, as part of its inquiry into the misuse of APSSDC funds. This investigation stemmed from a First Information Report (FIR) lodged by the Andhra Pradesh CID against M/s Designtech Systems Private Limited (DTSPL) and its associates, accusing them of cheating the government by siphoning off funds intended for the Siemens project.The ED’s findings implicated key individuals, including Vikas Vinayak Khanvelkar (Managing Director of DTSPL) and Soumyadri Sekhar Bose (former Managing Director of Siemens Industry Software India Pvt. Ltd.), for diverting government funds through shell companies and creating false invoices for materials and services that were never provided. These funds were allegedly laundered through complex, multi-layered transactions.During its probe, the ED had previously attached fixed deposits worth Rs. 31.20 crore from DTSPL, which was upheld by the Adjudicating Authority under PMLA. Arrests were made, and a prosecution complaint was filed against several key players, including Khanvelkar, Bose, Mukul Chandra Agarwal, and Suresh Goyal, in the Special Court (PMLA), Visakhapatnam.The AP Police had arrested Naidu, alleging his involvement in the scheme. However, the ED’s recent findings have now absolved him of any connection to the alleged diversion of funds, marking a stark contrast to the earlier police claims.