Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao has sent a legal notice to a prominent Telugu-language newspaper for allegedly publishing factually incorrect news claiming that an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court had ordered the temporary seizure of his passport in connection with the Formula E race case. The notice was dispatched on behalf of Rama Rao by advocate N Lalita Reddy and gives the publication 48 hours to respond or face civil and criminal defamation proceedings.

What the Disputed Report Said

The Telugu daily published a report dated 29 September claiming that the ACB special court had ordered the temporary seizure of Rama Rao's passport. According to the legal notice, the report was factually incorrect: what actually occurred was that the ACB's investigating officer filed a memo before the special court seeking appropriate orders regarding the passport — a procedural step that falls well short of an actual court directive.

The notice stated clearly that the special court had not issued any orders for the passport's temporary seizure. Separately, the Regional Passport Office had issued a show-cause notice on 28 September under Section 10(3)(e) of the Passports Act, granting Rama Rao a 15-day period to submit an explanation — a routine administrative step distinct from any court order.

KTR's Response and Social Media Post

Rama Rao posted on X (formerly Twitter) that his lawyer had formally served the legal notice, describing it as 'regrettable' that a publication with 50 years of history would publish unverified news. 'I demand that the said false news be immediately withdrawn from all media and an unconditional apology be issued,' he said.

The notice was addressed to the newspaper's editor, publisher, printer, resident editor, and the reporter who authored the disputed article — a broad sweep designed to establish institutional accountability.

Key Demands in the Legal Notice

The notice demanded the immediate withdrawal of the published report and the publication of a correction with equal prominence. It also called for an unconditional public apology to Rama Rao. Beyond the print edition, the notice required the newspaper to rectify the story across all digital platforms — including online portals, e-papers, websites, social media handles, and digital archives.

Additionally, the notice sought the disclosure of information sources used for the report and demanded clarity on whether the reporter had actually examined the relevant court records. The newspaper was also directed to preserve all related materials — including WhatsApp messages, emails, notes, recordings, documents, drafts, and other electronic records.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

The legal notice made explicit that failure to take appropriate action within 48 hours would result in civil and criminal defamation proceedings, as well as a formal complaint to the Press Council of India. The broad nature of demands — spanning print, digital, and archival corrections — signals that Rama Rao's legal team is building a comprehensive record ahead of possible litigation.

This comes amid ongoing legal scrutiny of Rama Rao in the Formula E race case, making accurate media reporting on court proceedings particularly consequential for public perception. The episode underscores the fine but critical distinction between a procedural memo filed by an investigating officer and an enforceable court order — a nuance that, critics argue, newsrooms must rigorously verify before publication.