Lagatar24 Desk
Hyderabad: Telangana High Court has granted interim protection from arrest to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) until December 30 in connection with the alleged corruption case related to the Formula E race held in Hyderabad. Justice Shravan Kumar allowed the investigation to continue but restrained authorities from arresting KTR, scheduling the next hearing for December 30.
Petition and Allegations
KTR, represented by advocate CS Sundaram, moved the court seeking to quash the FIR filed against him, terming it politically motivated and devoid of evidence. Advocate Sundaram argued that the case revolves around procedural lapses rather than corruption. He questioned the applicability of the Prevention of Corruption Act, asserting there was no evidence of dishonest or fraudulent misuse of property or intentional enrichment by KTR.
The FIR, filed by the ACB, accuses KTR of misusing government funds during the Formula E race. It alleges that Rs 55 crore was paid to a foreign company under his directions without Cabinet or Finance Department approval, violating RBI guidelines.
KTR’s Response
KTR has consistently denied the allegations, calling them baseless and politically driven. He stated that all transactions were conducted transparently, further alleging that the Congress party was behind the smear campaign.
Enforcement Directorate’s Involvement
The Enforcement Directorate is reportedly preparing to file an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to further investigate the case.
