K.T. Rama Rao Interrogated by ACB for Over Six Hours Regarding Formula-E Race Investigation

Hyderabad, Jan 9 (NationPress) The Telangana Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) conducted an interrogation lasting over six hours with K. T. Rama Rao, the Working President of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), in connection with the Formula-E race case on Thursday.

Accompanied by his legal counsel Ramachandra Rao, the former minister arrived at the ACB headquarters located in Banjara Hills at approximately 10:10 a.m., under stringent security measures.

He exited the ACB premises around 5 p.m.

The BRS leader informed journalists that he fully cooperated with the ACB officials, addressing all their inquiries. He expressed his willingness to return for further questioning whenever the agency required.

Subsequently, he conveyed to party members at the BRS headquarters, Telangana Bhavan, that ACB officials encountered challenges in their questioning as they recognized the lack of substance in the case.

KTR, as he is commonly known, remarked that questions from the ACB officials were repeated. He reaffirmed that there was no corruption present in the case, as the Formula-E organizer acknowledged the receipt of the funds transferred to them.

KTR was reportedly interrogated based on a statement provided by Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar, who had also been questioned by the ACB for six hours on Wednesday.

The investigation primarily centered on KTR's involvement as the then Minister of Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) in signing the agreement for the Formula-E race in 2023 during the BRS's tenure in power.

Arvind Kumar, who served as the Special Chief Secretary for the MA&UD department, was interrogated regarding the directives he followed while authorizing the transfer of funds to UK-based Formula-E Operations (FEO).

KTR, along with Arvind Kumar and the former Chief Engineer of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), B.L.N. Reddy, faces allegations of unlawfully transferring approximately Rs 55 crore to FEO for the second edition of the Formula-E race in Hyderabad.

The ACB had filed an FIR against them last month, citing alleged irregularities in the payments made by HMDA to FEO and affiliated entities, which did not comply with established financial protocols. The FIR includes charges under Sections 13 (1) (A) and 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, in addition to Sections 409 and 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code.

KTR received a summons from the ACB on January 6; however, he left the ACB office after his lawyer was denied entry during the questioning. KTR had submitted a letter requesting the deferral of his questioning until the Telangana High Court announced its decision regarding his petition to quash the FIR. The ACB issued a subsequent notice on the same day, instructing him to appear again on January 9. The High Court dismissed KTR's petition on Tuesday and did not grant orders to prevent the ACB from arresting him.

On a petition filed by KTR, the Telangana High Court ruled on Wednesday to allow the presence of legal counsel during the questioning, stating that a lawyer may be present at a visible distance from the accused.