Tadepalli, Dec 1: Legislative Council Opposition Leader Botcha Satyanarayana has urged the Governor to immediately intervene and stop Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s misuse of power in closing corruption cases filed against him, saying investigative agencies are being compromised and complainants are being threatened into withdrawing cases.
In a statement released to media, Botcha Satyanarayana alleged that Chandrababu Naidu is grossly misusing authority to suppress the corruption cases registered against him. He said Chandrababu is acting in a planned and conspiratorial manner, influencing investigation agencies and intimidating complainants to ensure cases are closed without legal process.
He stated that the officials who originally filed complaints were being threatened, pressured and forced to withdraw their statements. He said investigation officers, who are expected to act impartially, are instead cooperating with Chandrababu in shutting down the cases.
Botcha said Chandrababu lacked the courage to face the cases in court and has been taking shortcuts to escape legal scrutiny ever since his political career began. He said such actions were polluting democratic institutions and insulting constitutional values, adding that the country had never witnessed such large-scale abuse of authority by any political leader.
He recalled that strong corruption cases were filed regarding irregularities committed between 2014–19, including the Skill Development Scam, for which Chandrababu was sent to judicial remand and is currently out on bail. He mentioned other cases such as the Assigned Lands scam, Amaravati Ring Road alignment scam, illegal sand mining under the guise of free sand, Fiber Net scam involving hundreds of crores, and the Liquor scam.
He alleged that ever since Chandrababu returned to power, the progress of all these cases has come to a standstill. He said investigation agencies have been captured and silenced, while complainant officers were trapped in false cases and blackmailed or forced to withdraw complaints. He said the Assigned Lands case and the Liquor case have already been closed recently, and the remaining cases are being pushed in the same direction.
Botcha condemned that a leader who is presently out on bail is threatening witnesses and complainants, calling it a serious crime against law and the Constitution. He stated that they will continue to fight a legal battle to prevent further misuse of authority.
*Women’s safety collapsed under Chandrababu rule: N Lakshmi Parvathi*
