Formula E Case: KTR Alleges Lawyer Denied Entry, Exits ACB Office in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: KTR Visits ACB Office Amid Formula E Scam Allegations, Lawyer Denied Entry

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president and Sircilla MLA, K.T. Rama Rao (KTR), appeared at the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) office in Hyderabad on Monday, January 6, in connection with the alleged ₹54.88 crore Formula E scam. Accompanied by his legal team, KTR was stopped outside the ACB office, leading to a heated exchange and accusations of procedural bias.  

Addressing the media, KTR accused the Telangana police of collusion, alleging, "They might even plant evidence against me at my home, similar to what was done to former MLA Patnam Narender Reddy, where a fake confession was obtained."  

KTR had previously written to the ACB, requesting clarity on the documents required for the questioning and asking for the inquiry to be deferred until the Telangana High Court issued its orders. His lawyer, Soma Bharat, expressed dismay over being denied entry, questioning the legitimacy of the process if there was no government conspiracy involved.  

 Background of the Case  
The Telangana ACB has registered a corruption case against KTR involving alleged financial irregularities of ₹54.88 crore in payments between the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and the UK-based Formula-E Operations Limited (FEO). The FIR cites Sections 13(1)(A) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, along with Sections 409 and 120(B) of the Indian Penal Code. Subsequently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against KTR, Arvind Kumar, and BLN Reddy.  

As per the original tripartite agreement signed in October 2022 between the Telangana government, FEO, and Ace Nxt Gen Pvt Ltd, the government's role was confined to providing infrastructure and civic amenities for the event.  

Preventive Detentions of BRS Leaders  
Ahead of KTR’s questioning, several BRS leaders were detained by the police. Huzurabad MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy and BRSV general secretary Mekala Vidya Sagar were among those placed under house arrest. Mekala Vidya Sagar was picked up the previous night and held at Kollur police station.  

Additionally, over 100 BRSV leaders were taken into preventive custody at various locations and detained in different police stations, sparking criticism from the party.  

The developments have heightened political tensions in Telangana, with the BRS accusing the ruling establishment of orchestrating a targeted campaign against its leaders.