In a significant legal blow to BRS Working President and former Minister K. Tarakarama Rao (KTR), the Special ACB Court has issued summons in connection with the Hyderabad Formula E race fund diversion case. The court has named KTR as the primary accused (A1) in the case. Along with him, summons were also issued to senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar (A2), former HMDA Chief Engineer BLN Reddy (A3), and sports consultant Kiran Malleshwar Rao (A4). All the accused have been directed to appear before the court for a hearing on July 31.
The case revolves around the alleged illegal transfer of ₹55 crore to a foreign entity for the 2023 Formula E-Prix. According to the charge sheet filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), these funds were diverted in violation of standard government norms and without the necessary departmental approvals. The ACB has highlighted that the transaction bypassed the Finance Department’s scrutiny, alleging that the funds were moved to an overseas organization under the guise of race hosting fees.
This development has intensified the political climate in Telangana, as the current government has aggressively pursued the investigation into the previous administration’s financial decisions. While KTR has maintained that the race was organized to boost Hyderabad’s global image and “Brand Hyderabad,” the ACB’s findings suggest a deep-seated procedural lapse and financial irregularity. With the court now taking cognizance of the charge sheet, the legal battle is expected to pose a major challenge for the BRS leadership in the coming months.
