Even as former Telangana minister and BRS working president KT Rama Rao faced a marathon interrogation for seven hours by the Enforcement Directorate, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of the state police issued fresh summons directing him to appear before it on 18 January. The ACB has also summoned Anil Chalamalasetty, managing director of Greenko, which sponsored the Formula E race in its first season in Hyderabad. AceNextGen, the promoter of the race, is a subsidiary of Greenko. The ACB had earlier carried out raids on the properties owned by the company.

After coming out of the ED office, KT Rama Rao accused Chief Minister Revanth Reddy of trying to dress up the allegations as a case of corruption and money laundering. “I told the Enforcement Directorate that I would fully cooperate with them. I will appear whenever they summon me and provide whatever information is needed. I asked the same question to the ACB and the ED – where is the case here? Revanth Reddy has only one target. Since there is an ACB case against him, he wants one against me. He was arrested, and he now wants to arrest me. He has an ED case against him, and so he wants one on me too,” he said.

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Rao, who visited the ED office around 10:30 am, underwent a lengthy interrogation that lasted until nearly 6 pm, exceeding the duration of the ACB’s interrogation. Before interrogating him, the ED had grilled special chief secretary Arvind Kumar and HMDA chief engineer BLN Reddy, who were designated as accused 2 and 3 by the ACB. The ED had registered an Economic Case Information Report (ECIR) on the basis of the FIR filed by the ACB.

Before entering the ED office at Basheerbagh, he claimed in a post on social media that hosting the Formula E race was his “most cherished decision as a Minister” since it had enhanced “Brand Hyderabad.” He also said that the entire amount had been paid to the Formula E Organisers (FEO) through bank transactions and that every rupee was accounted for. He accused Chief Minister Revanth Reddy of malice and political vendetta.

However, Congress leaders accused Rao of intervening to ensure the promoter, who withdrew from the agreement with FEO, did not face any penal action. They also accused the firm of paying only Rs 30 crore instead of Rs 90 crore for the race held in February 2023. The BRS leaders accused the Congress of planting reports in the media to malign Rao. Many BRS leaders and activists gathered near the ED office and raised slogans alleging political vendetta. A ruckus ensued as police tried to clear the area. BRS spokesperson Manne Krishank was detained while trying to speak to the media. Several of the TRS leaders and activists were taken into custody.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA T Raja Singh in a sarcastic dig posted a checklist for Rao to carry with him in prison which includes four sets of clothes, a cozy blanket, a towel, a handkerchief, soap, a warm sweater, and a packet of pickle. He wrote, “…How those who misuse power to target others eventually end up tasting their own medicine. Karma doesn’t forget, it just waits for the perfect moment..” Singh was put under preventive detention and spent a couple of months in detention after he had made derogatory comments against the Prophet in protest against a show by comedian Munawar Faruqui. Rao set the ball rolling by inviting the comedian opposed by right wing activists to perform in Hyderabad.