The Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials questioned Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president and former Telangana minister K.T. Rama Rao for about seven hours on Thursday in connection with the Formula-E race case.
The Central agency quizzed KTR regarding the transfer of Rs 45.7 crore from Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) to UK-based Formula-E Operations (FEO) in 2023 when he was the minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development.
The ED officials reportedly questioned him on the basis of statements given by former Municipal Administration & Urban Development department special chief secretary Arvind Kumar and former chief engineer of HMDA B.L.N. Reddy, who were earlier questioned by the Central agency.
The ED is conducting the probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) based on the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
The Central agency is looking into possible violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
Talking to mediapersons after the questioning, KTR said while ACB asked him 80 questions last week, the ED asked 40 questions.
The BRS also dared Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for a lie detector test in front of judge and live media about each other’s ACB and ED cases instead of wasting public money.
He asked the Chief Minister to decide the date, place, and time for the same.
"Just because Revanth Reddy had ACB and ED case, he filed it against me. As a law-abiding citizen and despite the political vendetta and malafide intention, I will cooperate with investigative agencies,” he said.
The former minister said he came to know through a media report that the investigation in Formula-E race case would cost Rs 5 crore to Rs 10 crore and hence was making an offer to the Chief Minister for a lie detector test to save the public money.
"I will cooperate fully. I am going to be there no matter how many times they summon me. I asked the same question to ACB and ED, where is the case here? If from here, some money has gone somewhere and there is an account of that, then where are the fraud and corruption?. Where did the laundering happen?” he asked.
Reiterating that he has done nothing wrong and that he has full faith in the judiciary, KTR said ultimately truth will prevail.
“I have done nothing wrong and I will never do. If they prove that I did something wrong, I am ready for any punishment," he said
Civil Aviation Ministry issues strict instructions to DGCA to enforce chopper safety
In the wake of a tragic helicopter crash in the Gaurikund area of Uttarakhand, the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Sunday issued strict instructions to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to enforce all safety protocols related to chopper operations in hilly and sensitive areas like the Kedarnath valley.
‘Harming Indians will invite punishment’, HM Shah on Op Sindoor
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday that through the anti-terror Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent a strong message across the world that the bloodshed of Indians will invite punishment.
Dassault CEO trashes Pakistan's claims on downing Rafale jets
Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier has dismissed as "factually incorrect" Pakistan’s claims about having shot down three Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force during Operation Sindoor.
Tripura BJP stages protest over vandalism at Tagore's ancestral home in B'desh
Ruling BJP in Tripura on Saturday staged state-wide protests along the Bangladesh border, protesting the recent attack and vandalism of the ancestral home of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in the neighbouring country.
Two new earthworm species unearthed in Tripura
In a major breakthrough for ecological science in Northeast India, two new species of earthworms—Kanchuria tripuraensis and Kanchuria priyasankari—have been formally identified in Tripura.
CM calls for mass awareness on voluntary blood donation
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today urged to create massive awareness campaigns about the benefits of voluntary blood donation to encourage more people to donate blood.
Tripura has begun experimental soilless hydroponic farming: Minister
The Tripura government has experimentally started the hydroponics method of cultivation without any soil, the state’s agriculture minister Ratan Lal Nath said here on Friday.
Assam Rifles seized cannabis worth Rs 30 lakh from Tripura
In a swift and decisive operation against narcotics smuggling, Assam Rifles, in close coordination with representatives of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), successfully seized approximately 195 kg of marijuana from the general area of Taranagar, Agartala during the early hours of 12 June.