Former Labour Minister and Tekkali TDP MLA K. Atchannaidu and retired Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) director C.K. Ramesh Kumar were sent to 14 days judicial remand in the ESI scam.
Police shifted the MLA to Guntur Government General Hospital (GGH) for treatment on Saturday amid high security.
In Andhra Pradesh, the former MLA close to Chandrababu Naidu TDP Legislature party Deputy Leader and former Minister K Atchannaidu was arrested on Friday by the Anti-corruption Bureau officials in an alleged scam of Rs 151 crores in ESI corporation. Apart from Atchannaidu, 5 more have been arrested in this case.
The ESI scam has haunted the state of Andhra Pradesh especially after Telugu Desam party’s Former Minister and present MLA K. Atchannaidu got arrested by the Anti-corruption Bureau. The officials are also going to hold press conferences regarding irregularity in Employees’ state insurance. The sleuths help him at state headquarters in Vijaywada after finding some forged documents and another scam – related things. Now, the officer’s are going to conduct a press conference to reveal further details and adequate reasoning for the arrest
Mr. Atchannaidu was the Labour Minister in the previous Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP government when the scandal allegedly took place in the procurement of medicines and medical equipment.
According to the ACB joint director, the vigilance and enforcement department had examined the purchases made in ESI between 2014 and 2019. Large scale irregularity was observed. The probe also revealed Rs 150 crore in purchases of medicines, medical kits, furniture, and other items. Subsequent arrests were made.
Earlier, as soon as Actchannaidu was taken into custody from his house, the TDP President Chandrababu Naidu termed it as an attack on the backward classes. Former CM said, the former minister comes from backward classes and he was constantly highlighting the misdeeds of Jagan Mohan Reddy government. He was arrested for this.
TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu alleged that the Jagan government has intentionally arrested his party colleague in an unprecedented manner with 100 plus police.
“Even phone connections were cut off to prevent Atchannaidu from calling even his family members. This is a vendetta. He was arrested without any evidence,” he said.
Claiming that notices were not served before Atchannaidu’s arrest, that too four days before the commencement of the Budget Session of the State Assembly, he demanded that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Home Minister Sucharita and DGP Gautam Sawang explain to the people the real motive behind the Srikakulam strongman’s arrest.
