Hyderabad: KTR Denies Corruption Allegations in Formula E Racing Case
BRS working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) clarified that there was no corruption involved in the Formula E racing event and stated that the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had no authority to investigate the matter. On Thursday, he released documents related to payments and emphasized that both Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Municipal Administration Secretary Dana Kishore were fully aware of all transactions.
KTR assured that the party’s legal cell would handle the case and vowed to continue their democratic and peaceful protests. He added, “We will not stop until they fulfill 420 assurances,” referring to commitments made by the government. These remarks came after learning that a case had been filed against him.
When asked about the Governor Jishnu Dev Varma’s decision to approve the probe, KTR refrained from direct criticism but suggested that the Governor might have been misled by the government.
To back his claims, KTR shared documents, including letters from the Formula E promoter to Dana Kishore, confirming the receipt of two payment installments and requesting the third. He highlighted that the cancellation of the event might lead to the government paying compensation, citing Montreal’s $3 million penalty for a similar breach of contract.
KTR further disclosed that the promoter, Alberto, had met Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on December 13, where the CM reportedly responded positively. Subsequently, Alberto wrote to Dana Kishore on December 19, giving approval for hosting the race for the next three years.
The BRS leader accused the government of ignoring critical issues, pointing out that the Formula E legal director had written to Dana Kishore regarding the contract breach. He explained that while the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) had returned Rs 74 lakh to FMSCI (Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India) following the race’s cancellation, no action was taken to retrieve the funds. KTR also noted that the money was transferred via Indian Overseas Bank, a nationalized bank.
KTR called for a case to be filed against Revanth Reddy, accusing him of tarnishing India’s reputation by canceling the race. He revealed that arbitration proceedings had already begun, with senior advocate Harish Salve representing the case at the International Chamber of Commerce.
“You can’t do anything… I will show the proof,” KTR said, accusing the government of targeting him for raising issues about projects like Amrut and Adani. He concluded by stating that the Formula E event was an effort to enhance Hyderabad’s global brand image.
