Formula E Race Case: HC Refuses To Quash FIR Against KTR

Hyderabad: In a setback to BRS Working President K T Rama Rao, the Telangana High Court on Tuesday refused to quash the FIR against him in connection with the Formula E race issue, removing the protection against the arrest given to him.

On December 31, 2024, the HC had reserved its orders on the petition filed by the former minister after hearing the arguments made by the State government as well as the defence in the case registered by the Anti- Corruption Bureau (ACB) which alleged that Rama Rao authorised payments to the tune of Rs 55 crore, most of it in forex, to Formula E Organisation without necessary approvals.

High Court Judge Justice K Lakshman in his order said the allegations indicate that Rama Rao without any approval from the State Cabinet or the finance department directed the HMDA (Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority) to pay huge sums of money to a foreign company. "Whether the petitioner directed the said payments with a dishonest intention to cause gain to himself or third parties is required to be investigated.

The allegations when read together make out a prima facie case of wrongdoing and misappropriation of funds of the HMDA," the order said. The investigating agency should have a reasonable opportunity to investigate and collect evidence. Therefore, the court cannot "haste and thwart" the investigation in the present case, it opined. The court had earlier restricted ACB from arresting Rama Rao, son of BRS president and former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, until the orders were pronounced and the present order removed that protection.

After the court's order, Rama Rao, however, expressed confidence that truth would triumph in the end and he would come back stronger. Attacking the Congress government, he said its actions would not cow him down. "Mark my words, our comeback will be stronger than this setback. Your lies

won't shatter me.