High Drama At ACB Office As KTR Denied Lawyer's Presence, Submits Statement Outside

KTR, summoned in the Formula E race case, was denied his lawyer's presence at the ACB office, submitting his statement outside before leaving in protest.

Hyderabad: A high-drama unfolded at the Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) office on Monday when BRS Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR), summoned in connection with the Formula E race case, was denied the company of his lawyer. In protest, KTR submitted his statement outside the office and left without appearing before the ACB officials.

Rama Rao arrived at the ACB headquarters soon after 10 am, but police prevented him from entering the premises with his lawyer. Seated in his car, KTR handed over his written statement to an ACB official, but did not proceed with the questioning. He insisted that his fundamental right to legal representation be upheld, expressing concerns over the possible manipulation of his statements, similar to what happened with former BRS MLA Patnam Narender Reddy.

KTR alleged that the ACB was planning to raid his residence and was acting under the direction of the Chief Minister. He emphasised that he would fully cooperate with the investigation, provided his legal rights were respected.

In his statement to the ACB, KTR requested that the questioning be deferred until the Telangana High Court issued a verdict on his quash petition. He also pointed out that the notice did not specify the information or documents the ACB was seeking from him. KTR requested that the ACB provide the necessary details to allow him reasonable time to respond.

KTR's lawyer, Soma Bharat Kumar, underscored that having legal assistance during questioning is a fundamental right. Last week, the ACB summoned KTR as the prime accused in a case involving alleged irregularities in payments for the Formula E race conducted in 2023. The case, filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC, alleges that Rs 55 crore in payments were made without the necessary approvals, resulting in a loss to the government exchequer.

Though the race was initially scheduled for February 2024, it was cancelled after the Congress government came to power in December 2023. Additionally, KTR has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning on January 7 regarding alleged irregularities in the event's organisation. (With agency inputs)