No Orders To Stop Formula E-Car Race Probe, Says ACB

Hyderabad: Officials of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Friday clarified that they received no orders to stop their probe into the Formula E car race irregularities.

Sources said the anti-graft agency had collected all relevant files from the HMDA, and was preparing to take the statement of M. Dana Kishore, principal secretary, municipal administration and urban development, and the complainant in the case.

The ACB has registered a case against BRS working president and former minister K.T. Rama Rao, senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar and HMDA former chief engineer B.L.N. Reddy for alleged irregularities in organising the Formula E-car race last year.

According to sources, the Telangana High Court had restrained ACB from arresting the accused for 10 days and had asked the investigation agency to continue its probe into the case.

“We will continue the investigation by recording the statements of witnesses and the complainant. We will also verify the files and records related to the Formula E car race. The government has directed us to register the cases and probe into the irregularities. While complying with the court directions, the agency will look into the issue," sources said.

It was also reported that the ACB officials had asked the HMDA officials to submit certain files, records in connection with the case. The ACB officials would also get bank statements from Indian Overseas Bank, Himayatnagar branch, to verify transactions related to the payment made to Formula Operations Limited.

The senior officials convened a meeting with the investigation team in view of the directions issued by the High Court in connection with the case. The senior officials directed the investigation team on how to initiate the probe by collecting inputs from different sources including HMDA and others.

On December 19, the ACB officials registered cases agains tRama Rao, the then special chief secretary of MA&UD Arvind Kumar and HMDA retired employee B.L.N. Reddy.