HYDERABAD/ NEW DELHI: Former Telangana Minister and BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) submitted a written statement to an ACB official outside the office and left without participating in the inquiry.
He had been summoned by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Jan 6 to appear for questioning in connection with the Formula E race corruption case.
KTR arrived at the ACB headquarters at 10 a.m., but police stopped him from entering the premises, citing objections to his lawyer’s presence.
Stating his fundamental right to legal representation, KTR handed over a written statement to an ACB officer outside the premises.
“I have given my statement to the DSP-rank officer of the ACB, and they have provided me with an acknowledgment,” he told the media.
The BRS leader criticized the ACB’s actions, claiming they were politically motivated. “In the past, they have created situations where statements not made by our leaders were attributed to them. I will provide all the required information but only in the presence of my lawyer,” he said.
KTR also alleged that the ACB planned to raid his residence and expressed concerns about being subjected to a biased investigation.
Accusing Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of directing the ACB, he pointed to a pattern of targeting opposition leaders, drawing parallels to the arrest of former BRS MLA Patnam Narender Reddy in 2024.
The ACB had summoned KTR following allegations of financial irregularities in organizing the 2023 Formula E race. The case, filed on December 19, accuses KTR of authorizing payments in foreign currency without proper approvals, causing a loss of Rs. 55 crore to the state exchequer.
The ACB invoked sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Indian Penal Code, including charges of criminal breach of trust, criminal misconduct, and conspiracy.
The race, initially planned for February 2024, was canceled after the Congress government assumed office in December 2023.
KTR, who served as the Municipal Administration Minister during the previous BRS regime, is the prime accused in the FIR.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also summoned him for questioning on January 7 regarding alleged irregularities in the race’s execution.