KTR To Attend ACB Session On Monday

Hyderabad:The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) probing the Formula E racing irregularities case on Friday summoned BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao to appear before the agency for questioning at 10 am on Monday. In a message, Rama Rao responded that he would turn up before the ACB.

The ACB informed the Hyderabad police of the development and sought security at the ACB office located at Banjara Hills. This will be the second time Rama Rao is being questioned in the case.

The agency had earlier served notice to Rama Rao to appear before for questioning. Rama Rao had replied that he would be going aboard, and asked for more time. The ACB agreed, and served a fresh notice on Friday.

ACB officials are expected to question Rama Rao in connection with the money transactions that took place between the HMDA and the Formula E Racing Operation Limited. The ACB has found that during the tenure of the then BRS government, these funds were transferred from the HMDA without the government's consent or Cabinet approval. The finance department also did not give any written order to release the funds.

The ACB officials have previously recorded the statement of senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar and HMDA former officer B.L.N. Reddy for transferring funds from HMDA to Formula E Racing Operation Limited from the Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), Himayatnagar branch. “Based on the statement of Arvind Kumar and B.L.N. Reddy, the ACB is likely to question Rama Rao to establish whether or not oral directions or orders were given to the IAS officer to release the funds," sources said.

Responding to the notice, Rama Rao said: "I have been summoned by the Anti-Corruption Bureau to appear for ‘investigation’ on Monday at 10 am, in a Formula-E case where `44 crore was transferred from Bank to Bank and the money is very much in the Account of Formula E Racing company. As a law-abiding citizen, I will attend and fully cooperate with the ACB officials (sic)."

Rama Rao, in a veiled attack on Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, also who had completed 10 years of being caught with a ‘black bag full of cash?’ “Revanth Reddy, as we both are facing an ongoing ACB investigation, why not both of us take a Lie Detector test in the presence of a Judge, broadcast it on Live Television and let the whole of Telangana decide who’s the culprit sic)," Rama Rao asked.