In a major relief to BRS working president KT Rama Rao, the Telangana High Court extended its interim orders and protected him from arrest in connection with the Formula E race case until the pronouncement of the verdict. Rao had approached the court with a petition to quash the FIR filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau under the Prevention of Corruption Act, against him. The court reserved its order on the criminal petition filed by the former minister.

Advocate General A Sudarshan Reddy raised questions on the legality of the agreement signed with the organizers of the Formula E race during the BRS regime. He pointed out that Rs 55 crore was disbursed without any authorization from the Finance Ministry, out of which Rs 46 crore was paid in foreign currency, violating RBI rules. The Model Code of Conduct was in effect at that time due to elections in the state and Rao had signed the payment note as the minister of municipal administration and urban development (MAUD). He said the Governor had sanctioned proceedings against KTR on 17 December.

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However, KTR’s counsel Siddarth Dave counter argued that the case was politically motivated and devoid of merit. He argued that the BRS leader had not personally benefited from the deal and there was no evidence of corruption in the case. He also said the FIR was registered hastily and no preliminary inquiry had been conducted. He sought the quashing of the FIR against Rao.

After both parties concluded their arguments, the court reserved its judgment. However, it extended the protection given to Rao, directing the ACB not to arrest him till the verdict was pronounced.

The BRS leader has also been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to appear before it on 7 January in connection with the same Formula E race case. The ED had sought the details of the FIR from the ACB. The central agency filed an enforcement case information report last week in the case under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following the ACB’s FIR against KTR. Rao yesterday said that unlike in other cases, ED was taking a more aggressive approach in this matter.