KTR to appear before ACB today in Formula-E case amid high-security deployment

Hyderabad: BRS working president and former minister K.T. Rama Rao is set to appear before the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) today in connection with the ongoing probe into the Formula-E race case. He is scheduled to reach the ACB office at Banjara Hills by 10 a.m.

KTR has consistently dismissed the case as politically motivated, accusing Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and the Congress government of using the investigation to divert public attention from governance failures. He reiterated there was no corruption involved in the Formula-E event and called the allegations baseless.

The ACB inquiry team, headed by DSP Majeed Khan, includes Joint Director Ruthiraj, Additional SPs Shivaram Sharma and Narender Reddy, along with two new officers. A total of six officials are expected to question KTR today.

Political analysts have noted that Revanth Reddy, as opposition leader, had targeted KTR in the past, and they see the reopening of this case as a continuation of that hostility. The Formula-E race, which brought substantial revenue to the state, was cancelled after the Congress took power. BRS leaders allege this was part of a plan to later frame KTR.

It is also learnt that the government has been intensively pursuing this case for 18 months. Reports suggest that CM Revanth Reddy recently summoned a senior ACB official to Delhi for consultations with Congress-affiliated legal experts. The discussions reportedly focused on how to ensure KTR’s arrest and potential judicial custody for over 60 days, while also preparing for legal fallout in higher courts.

This is not KTR’s first appearance in the case. He was previously summoned on January 6 but was stopped at the gate for arriving with a lawyer. He was made to wait in his vehicle for 40 minutes before being asked to return on January 9, when he was questioned for seven hours in the presence of legal counsel. He denied any wrongdoing and said the event had only benefited the state.

Following the ACB’s FIR, the Enforcement Directorate also filed an ECIR and questioned KTR.

Today’s summons has triggered heavy security arrangements. Intelligence inputs suggest a large turnout of KTR supporters from across the state. Over 1,500 personnel have been deployed, including more than 500 around the ACB office. Security has also been strengthened around Telangana Bhavan, Nandinagar, and homes of senior BRS leaders.