Telangana ACB to take action against KTR in Formula E race case

Hyderabad, Dec (IANS) With Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma giving his nod, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is set to initiate action against Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president and former minister K. T. Rama Rao in Formula E race case.

The matter was discussed during the State Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday.

Minister for Information and Public Relations Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy revealed that the Governor has given permission to try KTR in the case will be taken by the ACB in accordance with the law.

The Chief Secretary will forward the file signed by the Governor to the ACB tonight or on Tuesday for further action, the minister said.

Srinivas Reddy told media persons that he would not say anything about KTR’s arrest. He remarked that law will take its own course.

Last month, the Congress government had requested the Governor to grant permission to the ACB to register a case against KTR for alleged misuse of power and diversion of funds for conducting the Formula-E race.

There are allegations that as then minister for industry KTR sanctioned funds for the race bypassing established procedures.

With the Governor giving his nod under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the ACB is likely to register a case against KTR, issuing him notices and conducting raids on certain individuals and officials connected to the alleged scam.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka had said in January that the Formula E race was conducted last year by the previous government to benefit a company and Hyderabad and Telangana were in no way benefited from it.

The then government had agreed to pay Rs. 110 crores to the company and out of this Rs.55 crores were paid. The remaining amount was to be paid in two instalments.

Formula E cancelled the second Formula E race (Season 10) scheduled in Hyderabad on February 10, 2024.

The announcement was made after a decision by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department (MAUD) of the Telangana government not to fulfil the Host City Agreement signed on October 30, 2023.

Formula E Operations (FEO) said it was left with no choice other than to formally give notice to MAUD for breach of contract.

The Congress government issued notice to senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar for ‘serious violations’ with regard to the agreement.

The official was asked to explain why the huge financial expenditure of Rs.46 crores plus the tax amount of Rs.9 crores was paid from the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) resources even before the agreement was signed.

KTR last month defended the previous government's decision to bring the Formula E race to Hyderabad and declared that he is ready to go to jail.

Denying the allegations of corruption, KTR said he tried to elevate Hyderabad’s global image, especially through the Formula E race.