Formula E Race Scandal: Prosecution Approval in Hyderabad Probe

The Centre grants permission to prosecute IAS officer Arvind Kumar in the Formula E race case, involving BRS's K T Rama Rao. The Anti-Corruption Bureau investigates approximately Rs 55 crore in irregular payments. Planned 2024 race cancelled post-Congress takeover. Rao denies corruption, emphasizing Hyderabad's prestige enhancement.

The Centre has given the nod to prosecute senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar amidst the ongoing probe into the controversial Formula E race case, in which K T Rama Rao, BRS Working President, is a prime suspect. The Telangana government requested this approval to adhere to procedural norms, according to police sources.

The state's Anti-Corruption Bureau continues its investigation into the alleged financial mismanagement involving around Rs 55 crore during the previous BRS regime. These irregularities surfaced when Governor Jishnu Dev Varma sanctioned prosecutorial proceedings against Rao last November. The probe centers on violations in foreign currency transactions for the 2024 Formula E race, which was scrapped following the Congress party's rise to power.

Despite mounting pressure, Rao remains defiant, dismissing allegations of corruption and offering to undergo a lie-detector test. He claims that funds were allocated to ensure Hyderabad's international prestige, not for personal gain, and all government monies are still held by race organizers.

(With inputs from agencies.)