HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Friday extended the interim protection from arrest granted to BRS working president K T Rama Rao (KTR) until December 31 in connection with the Formula-E race case.
Justice K Lakshman adjourned further hearing on Rama Rao’s criminal petition to the same date.
Rama Rao is the prime accused (Accused No.1) in the case registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), under Sections 13(1)(a) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Sections 409 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code.
On December 20, the former IT minister filed a lunch motion petition, seeking directions to the ACB not to arrest him. Justice NV Shravan Kumar, who initially heard the plea, granted interim relief by directing the ACB to refrain from arresting the BRS Sircilla MLA until December 30. The court also instructed the ACB and complainant Dana Kishore, Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development, to file counter affidavits.
In response, the ACB filed a counter affidavit asserting that the allegations and evidence presented in the complaint established a prima facie case against Rama Rao and others for misappropriation of public funds and breach of public trust.
KTR trying to hinder probe, alleges ACB
The ACB argued that Rama Rao’s petition was an attempt to obstruct a legitimate investigation at its preliminary stage. Referring to Supreme Court judgments, the ACB maintained that the powers under Section 482 of the CrPC should be exercised sparingly to avoid interfering with lawful prosecutions.
The ACB’s investigation followed a complaint received from Dana Kishore on October 18, 2024, alleging wrongful loss to the state exchequer and misappropriation of entrusted property. The ACB sought and obtained statutory approval from the competent government authorities before registering the FIR.
Rama Rao, in his affidavit, denied the allegations, stating that the FIR was filed 14 months after the alleged events took place without a proper preliminary inquiry.
He described the FIR as baseless, intended to defame him and his political party. The BRS working president contended that the allegations did not constitute the offenses mentioned in the FIR and requested the court to quash the FIR to prevent misuse of legal procedures.
During the hearing, the ACB reiterated that the allegations and documents justified the charges against him, and the investigation is being conducted in compliance with legal requirements.
Rama Rao, however, argued that the FIR was an abuse of the legal process, filed with malicious intent to harass and tarnish his reputation.
The court, considering the arguments, extended KTR’s interim protection from arrest and scheduled the next hearing for December 31.