Formula E Race: Telangana High Court Declines To Quash FIR Against KT Rama Rao

The Telangana High Court on January 7 refused to quash the FIR lodged against Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLA KT Rama Rao in connection with the Formula E race funding case, Bar and Bench reported. Justice K Lakshman of the high court also rejected the request by Rao's counsel for a stay on his arrest for ten days to enable him to file an appeal against the order. The MLA has been booked for criminal breach of trust under Section 409 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and for offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

On December 18, the Anti-Corruption Bureau received a complaint by the Congress-led government against the case. The case pertains to alleged payments of about Rs 55 crore, some of it in foreign currency without approvals, to conduct a Formula-E race in Hyderabad during the previous BRS regime in February 2023. After this, Rao then moved an urgent plea to quash the case.

KTR's counsel, Senior Advocate C Aryama Sundaram, argued that it was a case of political and personal vendetta and that KTR cannot be prosecuted simply on account of a policy decision taken in 2023, Bar and Bench said. Sundaram added that the BRS regime had taken a decision to step in to fund the Formula E event in October 2023 after sponsors pulled out, to prevent loss of revenue to the state.

The state, represented by Advocate General Sudarshan Reddy, countered that the FIR was registered after the government conducted a preliminary inquiry. He added that there were grave allegations involved against KTR, including that he sent crores of money to a foreign entity, without consulting the relevant State authorities or departments, and even before a contract was finalised, Bar and Bench바카라™s report said.

Earlier, media reports said that Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy also attacked Rama Rao for the alleged irregularities, saying about Rs 500 crore was saved with the state government under him deciding against further transfer of funds to the organisers of the racing event.

Rama Rao, who was the municipal administration minister in the BRS regime, was instrumental in hosting the race in Hyderabad last year. Though the race was supposed to be held in February this year as well, it was cancelled after the Congress government assumed office in December 2023.