ACB court summons KTR in Hyderabad Formula E race case
Synopsis
An ACB court has formally summoned BRS chief K. T. Rama Rao and three others in the Hyderabad Formula E case, ordering them to appear on 31 July. With a chargesheet alleging ₹55 crore in irregular foreign transfers and a separate accusation of a ₹44 crore electoral bond quid pro quo, the case is now moving from investigation to courtroom — putting KTR's political future under direct legal scrutiny.
Key Takeaways
An ACB court in Hyderabad issued summons to K.
Rama Rao and three others on 14 May in the Formula E car race case .
All accused have been directed to appear before the court on 31 July .
The ACB chargesheet, filed in March 2026 , alleges approximately ₹55 crore was transferred to a foreign firm in violation of norms during the 2023 Formula E race in Hyderabad.
KTR is named accused number one ; co-accused include IAS officer Arvind Kumar , former HMDA Chief Engineer B.
Reddy , and sports consultant Kiran Malleswara Rao .
The BRS leader has also been accused of receiving ₹44 crore via electoral bonds from a race sponsorship company — an allegation he denies, calling the case 'bogus'.
Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma had granted prosecution sanction in November 2024 , paving the way for the FIR and subsequent chargesheet.
An Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court in Hyderabad on Thursday, 14 May issued summons to former Telangana minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao, directing him to appear before the court on 31 July in connection with the Formula E car race case. The court simultaneously issued summons to three other accused, marking a significant procedural step after the ACB filed its chargesheet in March 2026.
Who Has Been Summoned
Besides K. T. Rama Rao — named accused number one in the case — the ACB court also summoned Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Arvind Kumar, former Special Chief Secretary for Municipal Administration and Urban Development; B. L. N. Reddy, former Chief Engineer of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA); and sports consultant Kiran Malleswara Rao. All four have been directed to present themselves for the hearing on 31 July.
What the Chargesheet Alleges
According to the ACB chargesheet filed in March 2026, approximately ₹55 crore was allegedly transferred to a foreign firm in violation of regulatory norms during the 2023 Formula E car race held in Hyderabad. A First Information Report (FIR) was registered on a complaint by Principal Secretary M. Dana Kishore, who stated that foreign remittances were made without prior approvals from relevant regulatory authorities, resulting in an additional tax burden on the HMDA to the tune of ₹8.06 crore.
Separately, the BRS leader has been accused of allegedly receiving ₹44 crore in the form of an electoral bond from a sponsorship company in exchange for granting it the right to organise the race — an allegation he has firmly denied.
Timeline of the Investigation
The ACB first booked a case against K. T. Rama Rao, Arvind Kumar, and B. L. N. Reddy in December 2024, citing alleged irregularities of ₹54.88 crore in the Formula E deal. After nine months of investigation, the bureau submitted its report to the state government, which then sought the Governor's sanction to prosecute the accused. Then Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma granted prosecution sanction in November 2024. The ACB questioned K. T. Rama Rao four times during the course of the probe.
KTR's Response
K. T. Rama Rao has consistently dismissed the Formula E case as a 'bogus case,' maintaining that the charges against him are politically motivated. The case is widely seen as a flashpoint between the incumbent Indian National Congress (Congress) government in Telangana and the opposition BRS, which ruled the state when the 2023 race was hosted.
What Happens Next
With summons now formally issued, all four accused are expected to appear before the ACB court on 31 July. The proceedings will determine whether the case advances to trial, a development that could have significant political and legal ramifications for the BRS and its leadership ahead of future electoral cycles in Telangana.
Point of View
And that narrative has had some traction. But the specificity of the chargesheet — foreign remittances without regulatory clearance, a quantified tax burden on HMDA, and the electoral bond allegation — gives the prosecution a paper trail that will be harder to dismiss in court than in press conferences. The deeper question is institutional: if the ACB's case rests substantially on a complaint filed by a serving government official, the judiciary will need to scrutinise whether the investigation was initiated on merit or mandate. That scrutiny cuts both ways.
NationPress
4 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Formula E car race case against KTR?
The case relates to alleged financial irregularities of approximately ₹55 crore in the hosting of the 2023 Formula E car race in Hyderabad during BRS rule. The ACB has accused K. T. Rama Rao and others of transferring funds to a foreign firm without regulatory approval, causing an additional tax burden of ₹8.06 crore on the HMDA.
Why has the ACB court issued summons to KTR now?
The ACB filed its chargesheet in March 2026 after completing its investigation, and the court has now issued summons as a procedural step to formally bring the accused before it. All four accused — including KTR — have been directed to appear on 31 July for the next hearing.
Who else has been summoned alongside K. T. Rama Rao?
The court summoned IAS officer Arvind Kumar (former Special Chief Secretary, Municipal Administration), B. L. N. Reddy (former HMDA Chief Engineer), and sports consultant Kiran Malleswara Rao, in addition to K. T. Rama Rao.
What is the electoral bond allegation against KTR?
According to reports, the BRS leader has been accused of allegedly receiving ₹44 crore in electoral bonds from a sponsorship company in exchange for awarding it the right to organise the Formula E race. KTR has denied this allegation and called the entire case 'bogus'.
What happens if KTR does not appear on 31 July?
The court has directed all accused to appear on 31 July. Non-appearance before an ACB court after formal summons can lead to the issuance of a bailable or non-bailable warrant, depending on the court's discretion and the stage of proceedings.
