Telangana HC refuses to quash FIR against KT Rama Rao in Formula E case

The Telangana High Court on Tuesday refused to quash a first information report against Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader KT Rama Rao in connection with alleged irregularities in conducting the Formula E car racing event in Hyderabad in February 2023, Bar and Bench reported.

Justice K Lakshman dismissed the petition filed by the former state minister seeking to quash the case. He also rejected a request from Rao’s counsel to stay his arrest in the matter for 10 days for him to file an appeal against the order.

The Telangana Police’s Anti-Corruption Bureau filed the FIR on December 19 based on a complaint filed by Municipal Administration and Urban Development Principal Secretary M Dana Kishore.

The FIR alleged that Rs 54.88 crore was paid to Formula E Operations Limited and others in “gross violation of established procedures” while Rao was the Municipal Administration and Urban Development minister.

Rao, the son of former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, has denied irregularities in the payments made for the events.

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLA was booked under the Indian Penal Code section pertaining to criminal breach of trust (409). The Prevention of Corruption Act was also invoked.

Subsequently, Rao moved the court seeking to quash the case. On December 20, the court granted him interim protection from arrest.

During the proceedings on Tuesday, Senior Advocate C Aryama Sundaram,…

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