Telangana HC extends relief to KTR from arrest till December 31 in Formula-E race case

The Telangana high court on Friday extended relief granted to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao from being arrested by one more day in connection with the case filed by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) in the alleged financial irregularities of ₹55 crore in the conduct of Formula-E car race in Hyderabad.

Justice Shravan Kumar directed that the ACB not to arrest KTR, as the son of former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, till December 31, when the arguments on his quash petition will be heard again.

On December 20, the judge refused to quash the first information report (FIR) registered by the ACB against KTR in the Formula-E car race case, but directed the ACB not to arrest him till December 30. It asked the ACB to file a counter to KTR’s quash petition within a week.

On Friday, the ACB filed a counter petition challenging the quash petition of KTR. The agency, in its petition, said: “The relief granted to KTR should be withdrawn and a comprehensive investigation should be conducted.” It argued that granting bail, relief, or a “Not to Arrest” order to KTR would create an unfavourable environment for the investigation.

The judge asked KTR and also the state government to file their respective counter affidavits. The next hearing has been adjourned to December 31, when it will conduct a full hearing on both the “Not to Arrest” petition and the counter-petition filed regarding the Formula-E racing case.

The ACB filed another petition seeking to revoke the “Not to Arrest” order, naming KTR as a respondent. As a result, KTR will need to file a counter.

On December 31, arguments will continue on the government’s petition regarding the Formula-E racing case, along with arguments on the counter filed by KTR against the “Not to Arrest” petition.