The Telangana High Court, on Tuesday, declined to quash the FIR lodged against BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao concerning the Formula E race case, thereby lifting the interim protection against his arrest. This decision came after extensive hearings involving arguments from both the state government and KTR’s defense team.
The case, initiated by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on December 19, accuses the former Municipal Administration Minister and current MLA of making unauthorized payments, including some in foreign currency, to organize the Formula E race event in 2023. These transactions are alleged to have resulted in a significant financial loss to the government, approximately Rs 55 crore, under various charges including criminal misappropriation and breach of trust.
The allegations extend to the arrangements for the race, which was initially scheduled to recur in February 2024 but was subsequently canceled following the change of government when the Congress party took office in December 2023. The ongoing legal proceedings highlight potential procedural and financial irregularities under the previous BRS administration.
Additionally, Rama Rao has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to address queries related to the same case, with a questioning session arranged for January 7. The FIR names Rama Rao as the prime accused, with senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar and retired bureaucrat B.L.N. Reddy also implicated as second and third accused, respectively.
