Telangana Governor approves KTR’s questioning in Formula E race case

The Telangana Governor, Jishnu Dev Varma, has granted approval for the state government to question BRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao (KTR) in connection with the Formula E race case, officials said Thursday.

The state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which is investigating the Formula E race case, had requested permission in September to question KTR and two other individuals. The other key persons include senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar and former Chief Engineer of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority, B.L.N. Reddy.

However, officials noted that approval from the central government’s Department of Personnel and Training is still pending for Arvind Kumar’s questioning.

Earlier, KTR had downplayed the case, stating he was willing to undergo a polygraph (lie-detector) test. He defended the transfer of government funds to race organizers, explaining that it was a government-approved decision. KTR said his goal was to host the race in Hyderabad to boost the city’s international profile and insisted that no corruption occurred, as the funds were already with the organizers.

The Formula E race took place in Hyderabad in February 2023. The second edition was initially planned for 2024 but was canceled after the Congress government took office in December 2023.

The investigation focuses on allegations that during the previous BRS government, around ₹55 crore were paid in violation of regulations, with a significant portion in foreign currency. An ACB case was filed against KTR, Arvind Kumar, and B.L.N. Reddy in December 2024.