Andhra Pradesh CID Files Chargesheet in AP Fibernet Scam, Names Chandrababu Naidu As A1

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Andhra Pradesh Police has filed a chargesheet in the Rs 114-crore AP Fibernet Scam case in the Vijayawada ACB Court. The chargesheet names TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu as the primary accused.

Alongside Naidu, the CID has identified V Hari Krishna Prasad, managing director of Net India, Hyderabad, and K Sambasiva Rao, IRTS officer, as other accused individuals, according to a statement from the CID.

Naidu, who served as the chief minister at the time, held the portfolio of the energy, infrastructure, and investment department. The CID alleges that he personally recommended the execution of the fiber net project, highlighting alleged tender manipulation during the previous TDP government's tenure from 2014 to 2019.

It said the tender process was manipulated to allot work order of the Phase – 1 of the AP Fibernet Project of Rs 330 crore to a favoured company. According to the CID, several alleged irregularities took place from allotting of tender to completion of the total project, resulting in a huge loss to the exchequer.

According to details provided in the CID chargesheet, Naidu sanctioned the estimate for the Fibernet project without taking into account the absence of a market survey for item prices or standards to adhere to. Additionally, the CID highlighted allegations that the former CM exerted pressure on senior government officials to involve Hari Krishna Prasad in multiple tender evaluation committees, lift the blacklisting of Terasoftware Pvt Ltd, and ultimately grant the tender to said company, among other irregularities.

According to the CID, several alleged irregularities took place from allotting of tender to completion of the total project, resulting in a huge loss to the exchequer. As per the CID chargesheet, Naidu had approved the estimate of the Fibernet project without considering the fact that no market survey was done for the prices of the items or the standards to be followed.