KTR Moves High Court to Ensure Lawyer's Presence During ACB Questioning

Hyderabad: KTR Approaches Telangana High Court for Lawyer’s Presence During ACB Questioning in Formula-E Case

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao (KTR) filed a petition in the Telangana High Court on Wednesday, seeking an order for the presence of his lawyer during his questioning by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in the Formula-E race case.

This move comes a day before KTR is scheduled to appear before the ACB. In his petition, KTR requested that the court direct the ACB to allow his lawyer to be present during the examination.

The ACB, which is investigating alleged financial irregularities related to the conduct of the Formula-E race in 2023, had summoned KTR on January 6. However, KTR returned from the ACB office after his request for his lawyer's presence was denied.

KTR had also submitted a letter to the ACB, requesting that his questioning be deferred until the Telangana High Court delivered its verdict on his petition to quash the FIR filed against him.

After the High Court dismissed KTR's petition on Tuesday, the ACB issued another notice directing him to appear before it on January 9. The court also declined to pass any orders to prevent his arrest, leading KTR to file an appeal in the Supreme Court.

Speaking to the media, KTR strongly denied the allegations, claiming they were politically motivated. He expressed his commitment to cooperating with the investigations, assuring that he had nothing to hide and would answer all questions. "My integrity is my strength," he said.

KTR added that he had intended to appear for the inquiry with his lawyer, but after waiting for half an hour, ACB officials hesitated to question him and ultimately disallowed his lawyer's presence. He explained that his request was based on concerns raised in another case involving former BRS MLA Patnam Narender Reddy, where police allegedly leaked false statements to the media.

The ACB registered the FIR against KTR, Arvind Kumar, and former Chief Engineer of HMDA B.L.N. Reddy for alleged irregularities in payments made by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) to Formula-E Operations Limited (FEO) and associated entities, bypassing established financial procedures.

The FIR was filed under 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.