What Developments Have Emerged in the Formula E Race Case?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- ACB submits report to Telangana government.
- Key figures face serious allegations of corruption.
- Political implications for Telangana's BRS party.
- KTR challenges accusations and calls for transparency.
- Public interest remains high regarding the outcome.
Hyderabad, Sep 9 (NationPress) The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Telangana has submitted its report regarding the Formula E race case to the state government, requesting permission to prosecute former minister and BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao, along with senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar and others.
Following a nine-month investigation into alleged discrepancies in organizing the Formula E race in Hyderabad under the previous BRS administration, the ACB has now presented its findings.
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) faces allegations of accepting Rs 44 crore in electoral bonds from a sponsoring company as a quid pro quo for obtaining rights to host the race.
Last December, the ACB filed a case against K.T. Rama Rao (KTR), former Special Chief Secretary of Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Arvind Kumar, and former Chief Engineer of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) B.L.N. Reddy, citing alleged irregularities amounting to Rs 54.88 crore related to the Formula-E agreement.
The FIR stemmed from a complaint by Principal Secretary of MA&UD, M. Dana Kishore, who alleged that foreign payments were made without the necessary approvals from relevant regulatory bodies, leading to an additional tax burden of Rs 8.06 crore for HMDA.
Furthermore, the complaint accused that payments were made during the Model Code of Conduct period for state Assembly elections without receiving prior consent from the Election Commission. The FIR invokes the Prevention of Corruption Act and several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 409 (criminal breach of trust) and Section 120B (criminal conspiracy).
The ACB has interrogated KTR, Arvind Kumar, and B.L.N. Reddy multiple times in connection with this case. Prior to his second appearance on June 16, KTR expressed concerns about the possibility of his arrest.
In response to the latest developments, KTR maintained that the Formula-E case was merely a “bogus case.”
He issued a challenge to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to undergo a lie detector test alongside him.
While KTR acknowledged directing the release of Rs 46 crore from the government for the Formula E race, he asserted that the funds were deposited directly into the appropriate account and claimed, “Not a single rupee has been misused. Every rupee is accounted for. Where is, then, the corruption?”
The BRS leader emphasized that even if legal proceedings were initiated or charge sheets filed, they would ultimately prove baseless.
KTR reaffirmed that the BRS would persist in advocating for the commitments made by the Congress party, challenging Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to join him in a live televised lie detector test.
“Let the people determine who is truthful,” he stated, recalling an incident when Revanth Reddy was caught on camera with Rs 50 lakh in cash.
KTR accused the government of attempting to distract from significant public issues by bringing up the Formula-E case, asserting that the BRS would remain focused on pressing matters affecting the populace. “We will continue to question the government on people’s issues,” he declared.