The Enforcement Directorate had attached Rs 23.54 crore from the Seimens which worked for the skill development corporation in Andhra Pradesh. The enforcement directorate said that they have attached this money under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002.
This was about the misuse of funds in the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC). The project was meant to promote skill development and enterprenureship in Andhra Pradesh, the ED said.
The Enforcement Directorate initiated investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by the Andhra Pradesh CID in the case of APSSDC Siemens Projects against Designtech Systems Private Limited and others for cheating the Andhra Pradesh State government by diverting and siphoning off funds invested by the government of Andhra Pradesh in the Siemens Project for other purposes.
The Enforcement Directorate investigation revealed that Vikas Vinayak Khanvelkar, Managing Director of the Designtech Systems Private Limited, Soumyadri Sekhar Bose alias Suman Bose, a former managing director of Siemens Industry Software India Private Limited, and their close associates, Mukul Chandra Agarwal, and Suresh Goyal diverted the government funds with the help of shell/defunct entities through multilayered transactions and siphoned off funds on the strength of bogus invoices under the pretext of supply of material/services.
The services of entry providers re were taken for the diversion of funds for which commission was paid to them. The proceeds of crime in the hands of the said accused persons and entry providers were identified and various movable properties in the form of bank balances and shares, the ED said. It further said that and also immovable properties in the form of residential properties in Delhi, Mumbai and Pune were traced and attached.
Previously the Enforcement Directorate had attached Fixed Deposits amounting to Rs 31.20 crore of Designtech Systems Private Limited, which was confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The ED had also arrested Vikas Vinayak Khanvelkar, Suman Bose, Mukul Chandra Agarwal, and Suresh Goyal.
The Enforcement Directorate also filed a prosecution complaint before the special court in Visakhapatnam.
It was in this case, the State government had arrested former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and sent him to Rajamahendravaram central prison in 2023.
