Formula-E case: BRS turns tables, asks police to book Revanth for causing economic loss to Telangana

Says ill-advised actions of the Chief Minister disrupted Telangana's to encourage industrial growth, create jobs and also boost economic growth

Hyderabad: Turning the tables in the ongoing investigation into the Formula-E case, BRS leaders on Tuesday filed a complaint against Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, holding him accountable for the losses caused by his inexplicable cancellation of the event.

“The Chief Minister should have a paramount interest in the welfare of his citizens of the State, and his decisions should be beyond personal interests and grudges. Every decision of the Chief Minister should be aligned with the interests of the State and its citizens. His actions should not cause harm to the citizens and the State. By taking the unilateral impromptu decision, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has caused a loss of Rs 55 crore to the public exchequer and further curbed the economic boost of the State,” senior BRS leader RS Praveen Kumar said in the complaint lodged with the Narsingi Police.

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He added that the ill-advised actions of Revanth Reddy, which was a breach of trust and against the oath he took as Chief Minister of the State, had disrupted Telangana’s to encourage industrial growth, create jobs and also boost economic growth.

Praveen Kumar, along with MLA Mutha Gopal, MLC Naveen Kumar Reddy and others filed the complaint, detailing the repercussions of Revanth Reddy cancelling the event and calling for an in-depth investigation into the matter.

Urging the police to book Revanth Reddy as an accused in the case and to summon him for questioning, Praveen Kumar stated that the previous BRS government had meticulously planned to increase State revenue, attract investments and create jobs by setting up the e-Mobility Valley. The Formula-E event was a key part of this vision, he said.

He charged Revanth Reddy of criminal breach of trust as per Section 316 BNS and violation of the oath of office, which he took on December 6, 2023, wherein he promised that he would rule the State as per the Constitution, not by affection or ill-will.

“Because of his premature termination of the Formula-E agreement and subsequent vengeful witch-hunt, Telangana lost the precious e-Mobility Valley, which would have created thousands of jobs. This project would have become a jewel in the crown of the nation,” he said.

The BRS leader said Revanth Reddy unilaterally cancelled the Formula-E race, which resulted in significant losses, including the derailment of the E-Mobility Valley project and thousands of job opportunities.

“As a concerned and tax-paying citizen of the State, I have filed a complaint at the Narsingi Police Station, demanding that Revanth Reddy be named as an accused in the Formula-E case. I also requested the police to investigate what led the Chief Minister to cancel the agreement, which resulted in my tax money becoming a dead investment,” he said, hoping that there would be a fair investigation.

The State cannot be permitted to change its stand on a crucial public policy merely because a new political party assumes power. The succeeding government is duty-bound to continue with the execution of the decision taken by the previous Government, he said.

“It is a settled principle that the present political party heading the government would not cancel the policy decisions of the previous government unless the same can be faulted on the grounds of mala fides, unreasonableness, arbitrariness or unfairness. (In fact, the complaint made by the Principal Secretary (Municipal Administration) to the ACB, Telangana doesn’t reveal any misuse of public money by the then Minister for Urban Development and Municipal Administration KT Rama Rao!),” Praveen Kumar said in the complaint.

He also wondered what the difference was between the Kite Festival recently organised by the Tourism Department in Hyderabad where the State government also spent money to host representatives from 14 countries in the event and the Formula-E race held in Hyderabad. “Both were government-sponsored events aimed to promote the image of the capital and the State. How come one becomes right and the other wrong?” he asked.