The closure of the Skill Development case has brought significant relief to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. The Vijayawada ACB Court accepted the CID’s final report and closed the case on the grounds of “mistake of fact.” With this decision, Chandrababu Naidu and 36 others received a clean chit in a case that had shaken Andhra Pradesh politics.

Naidu was arrested in September 2023 while he was on a public outreach programme in Nandyal. He spent 53 days in judicial custody before securing interim bail from the High Court. The case was filed during the previous YSR Congress government, alleging misuse of funds in the Skill Development Corporation project linked to a memorandum of understanding with Siemens. Investigators claimed that ₹371 crore was diverted. However, the CID failed to establish any money trail or present concrete evidence during the investigation.

The court also dismissed a petition filed by Ajay Reddy, who sought a hearing before the verdict. After considering arguments from all sides, the court ruled that there was no basis to continue the proceedings.

While the legal closure marks the end of a high-profile case, it raises serious questions about accountability. If the allegations were baseless, who is responsible for the arrest, imprisonment, and public vilification of an elected leader and several officials? Legal experts note that the law provides provisions for action against those who file false cases or manipulate investigations.

The case is no longer just about acquittal. It is about restoring faith in institutions and ensuring that investigative agencies are not misused for political vendetta.