Is ACB Targeting KTR for Eight Hours in Formula E Case?

Hyderabad, June 16 (NationPress) The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Telangana interrogated K. T. Rama Rao, the Working President of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and former minister, for nearly eight hours regarding the Formula E case on Monday.

Upon returning to the BRS headquarters, Telangana Bhavan, he was greeted with enthusiasm by party leaders and supporters.

A tense atmosphere surrounded the ACB office in Banjara Hills throughout the day, as numerous BRS workers congregated to express their support for Rama Rao, who had indicated earlier that an arrest by the ACB was a possibility.

The ACB officials aimed to confiscate KTR’s mobile phone; however, he stated that he was not in possession of it. He has been instructed to surrender the phone he utilized during the Formula E race by June 18.

Speaking to the media at Telangana Bhavan, KTR asserted his lack of fear regarding arrest. He mentioned that the ACB officials had been persistently posing the same questions since morning. He challenged them to present evidence of any corruption related to the case.

In a direct remark aimed at Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, the BRS leader stated that the ACB officials were simply following predetermined questions. He remarked, "Since Revanth Reddy has previously been incarcerated, he seems intent on imprisoning others for his own amusement. If I am jailed, I will take it easy. I will remain unafraid, even if faced with numerous cases."

KTR arrived at the ACB office under heavy security for a second round of questioning.

He reiterated his challenge for the Chief Minister to undergo a lie detector test, stating, “We both have ACB cases. I am prepared for a lie detector test—are you?”

KTR emphasized that the Formula E race enhanced the reputation of Telangana and criticized the actions of the Revanth Reddy government for tarnishing the state's image.

Previously, the former minister had appeared before the ACB on January 9 concerning the handling of the Formula E race in Hyderabad, which took place earlier in January 2023 when the BRS was in power.

In December of the previous year, the ACB initiated a case against KTR, the former Special Chief Secretary for Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD), Arvind Kumar, and B.L.N. Reddy, the former Chief Engineer of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), over alleged irregularities amounting to Rs. 54.88 crore in the Formula E deal.

The FIR stemmed from a complaint by M. Dana Kishore, the Principal Secretary of MA&UD, who claimed that foreign remittances were processed without the necessary approvals from relevant regulatory authorities, leading to an additional tax liability for the HMDA of Rs. 8.06 crore.

The complainant also alleged that payments were made during the Model Code of Conduct for the state Assembly elections, bypassing prior approval from the Election Commission.

The FIR was filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 409 (criminal breach of trust) and Section 120B (criminal conspiracy).