BRS working president KT Rama Rao asked the Anti-Corruption Bureau probing the Formula E race scam to defer his interrogation till the Telangana High Court gives its verdict on his petition to quash the FIR against him.

This followed a high drama at the ACB headquarters after police stopped him from entering the premises with his legal team. However, the ACB has given a fresh notice asking him to appear on 9 January.

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Meanwhile, the BRS and Congress alleged and counter-alleged that the firm sponsoring the Formula E race had donated crores in their respective party funds through electoral bonds.

Rao, more popular as KTR, today, reached the ACB headquarters around 10 am. However, he was barred entry by the police since he was accompanied by his lawyer. He initially argued with the police but then handed over his written statement, returned without appearing before the ACB.

He alleged that his rights were being infringed upon. In his letter he requested a deferment, pointing out that the court’s judgment was pending. “Since the matter is finally heard and reserved for order, you may consider deferring the same till the judgment is pronounced in the case and to proceed further in accordance with law subject to the orders of the Hon’ble High Court,” read his letter.

He also accused the ACB of being vague. “You are requested to give details of the documents sought from me pertaining to the case to take further necessary action at my end after giving reasonable time for the same. Being a law-abiding citizen, I will cooperate in the matter, subject to constitutional and legal rights as provided by law,” Rao stated in his letter.

KTR also alleged before the media that the government was trying to frame him like former BRS MLA Patnam Narender Reddy and predicted that the ACB would conduct raids at his residence. He alleged that they might plant evidence to frame him. The former minister called the chief minister “a third-rate criminal” and said all these things were being done to divert attention from the failed promises of the Congress government.

The chief minister’s media advisor Ayodhya Reddy Boreddy alleged on ‘X’ that the Formula E race was organized to benefit the BRS. He wrote, “Greenko and its subsidiaries made 41 contributions to the BRS party in the form of electoral bonds. Greenko has been buying electoral bonds since the talks on the race began. Bonds were reportedly purchased on 8 April and 10 October 2022… Greenko paid a total of Rs49 crores to BRS through electoral bonds.”

This was countered by the BRS social media convenor, Krishank who cited nine occasions on which Greenko contributed to the Congress through electoral bonds between 8 April 2022 and 11 April, 2023.

Meanwhile, Asaduddin Owaisi made a cryptic remark in front of a smiling chief minister, saying, “ Every political leader has to go to jail one day. He understands the plight of others only after going to jail. I don’t know how many will go or not go. It is good that Revanth Reddy became the chief minister but did not forget that man.”