Telangana High Court permits KTR's lawyer to join him during ACB questioning

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on January 8, 2025, has issued an order allowing K. T. Rama Rao (KTR), working president of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), to be accompanied by his lawyer during questioning by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in connection with the Formula E race case.

Advocate Ramachander will be allowed to observe the proceedings from a library adjacent to the investigation room, with a window providing a view of the questioning. The court also instructed that if any issues arise during the investigation, KTR’s legal counsel must return to the court the following day for further directions.

This ruling comes after KTR had visited the ACB office on January 6, 2025, for questioning but refused to proceed when his lawyers were not permitted to accompany him. Speaking to the media, KTR asserted that citizens have the right to legal representation, and he emphasized that the ACB already possessed all relevant information regarding his role in the Formula E event.

"I took the decisions regarding the Formula E race as a minister, and the ACB already has all the necessary details. There is no reason to call me for questioning," KTR stated, adding that his lawyers should have been allowed to be present. After waiting for around 30 minutes, KTR left the ACB office and returned to Telangana Bhavan without undergoing questioning.

The investigation by the ACB centers on alleged financial irregularities related to the Formula E race held in Hyderabad in February 2023, specifically the transfer of ₹55 crore from the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) to Formula E Operations (FEO) without proper approvals.

KTR, former Municipal Administration Secretary Arvind Kumar, and HMDA Chief Engineer B.L.N. Reddy are facing allegations in the case. The money was reportedly intended for a second Formula E race, which was canceled following the change in government in December 2023.

In December 2024, Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma granted permission to prosecute KTR and Arvind Kumar, following consultations with the Attorney General. The state Cabinet subsequently instructed the Chief Secretary to initiate the ACB investigation.
KTR has consistently denied any wrongdoing and expressed his intention to face the allegations in court.

In addition to the ACB inquiry, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned KTR to appear on January 16, 2025, for questioning related to the case. This is the second time the ED has called KTR for questioning.

The investigation is also being conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), with the ED looking into possible violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) concerning unauthorized fund transfers abroad.

On January 7, 2025, the Telangana High Court dismissed KTR's petition to quash the FIR filed against him in the Formula E case, allowing the investigation to proceed. The court also rejected his request for 10-day arrest protection.

Following the court's ruling on January 7, 2025, KTR expressed confidence that the truth would ultimately prevail. "My comeback will be stronger than any setback. The efforts to undermine me will fail, and justice will shine through," he said, reaffirming his respect for the judiciary.