Governor gives nod for KTR’s prosecution in Formula E race case
Governor Jishnu Dev Varma has approved prosecution of BRS working president KT Rama Rao in the Formula E case, paving the way for the Anti-Corruption Bureau to file a charge sheet. The case, involving alleged irregularities of Rs 54.88 crore, also names senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar and HMDA’s former Chief Engineer BLN Reddy.
Hyderabad: Governor Jishnu Dev Varma has reportedly given his nod to prosecute former Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister and BRS working president KT Rama Rao in the Formula E race case. Coming just ahead of the local body polls, the BRS has dubbed the move a continuation of the ‘witch-hunting tactics of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’, with the Congress and the BJP joining hands to target the BRS with the elections in mind.
The Governor’s nod comes two months after the Congress government sent the file to him seeking permission to prosecute the BRS leader in the case, and will now pave the way for the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to file a charge sheet.
The ACB, which questioned Rama Rao four times already, had submitted its report in September and through the State government, sought the Governor’s sanction to prosecute Rama Rao, senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar and others. The prosecution of Arvind Kumar, according to sources, requires permission from the Centre’s Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
With no official communication so far on the latest development, it is not yet clear whether the ACB will file the charge sheet against all the accused after receiving permission from the DoPT or immediately file an initial charge sheet against Rama Rao.
The ACB had booked the case in December last year against Rama Rao, Arvind Kumar, who was then the Special Chief Secretary (MA&UD) and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority’s (HMDA) former Chief Engineer BLN Reddy, alleging irregularities of Rs 54.88 crore in the Formula E deal.
After the Governor gave his permission for the probe, the FIR was registered on a complaint by the then Principal Secretary (MA&UD) M Dana Kishore, who alleged that foreign remittances were made without prior approvals of relevant regulatory authorities.
He also alleged that the payment was made while the Model Code of Conduct was in effect for the Assembly elections without any prior approval of the Election Commission. The FIR was registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act and sections of the Indian Penal Code related to criminal breach of trust and criminal conspiracy.
Rama Rao, who has repeatedly dismissed the case as bogus, had also pointed out that all his efforts were towards bringing the prestigious Formula E race to Hyderabad. Acknowledging that it was he who directed the release of Rs 46 crore from the government, he had also submitted proof of the funds being deposited directly into the designated account.
“Not a single rupee has been misused. Every rupee is accounted for. Where then is the corruption?” he had asked, asserting that even if prosecution proceeded or charge sheets were filed, the case would not stand legal scrutiny.
Rama Rao had also pointed out the economic study conducted by Nielsen Sports Analysis, which calculated a direct uplift of more than Rs 700 crore to the Hyderabad economy as a result of the Formula-E World Championship’s debut race in India on February 11, 2023.
More than 31,000 people attended or supported the sold-out race event, with the majority (59 per cent) coming from outside of Hyderabad and generating significant inward investment into the local economy.
Formula-E’s only double champion, Jean-Eric Vergne, had won the highly competitive race, watched live in more than 150 countries around the world and attended by a host of dignitaries, Bollywood celebrities and sports stars.
Though Alberto Longo, co-founder & Chief Championship Officer, Formula-E, had said the second edition would be an even bigger event, with greater economic impact, the same did not happen, courtesy the Congress government’s decision to cancel the event.
