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News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Cong govt targeting KCR, BRS leaders through inquiry panels: MLA Harish Rao
Hyderabad, Aug 5 (PTI) The BRS on Tuesday alleged that the Congress government in Telangana is attempting to 'trouble" its president K Chandrasekhar Rao and other party leaders under the pretext of judicial inquiries into the Kaleshwaram irrigation project and other initiatives. BRS MLA T Harish Rao criticised the state government for releasing a 60-page summary of the judicial commission's report on the Kaleshwaram project, describing it as 'false" and 'politically motivated." Reacting to the commission's findings—which held KCR accountable for alleged irregularities in the multi-crore project—Harish Rao questioned the authenticity of the summary and whether it accurately reflects the commission's full 650-page report. 'The government says it will table the report in the Assembly. Once that happens, we will present the facts before the people," he told reporters at the BRS party office, where he made a detailed presentation titled 'Congress conspiracies on Kaleshwaram'. He further alleged that the summary gives an impression of a 'one-sided" judicial commission report and accused the Congress of misusing inquiry commissions to target the BRS leadership. Responding to observations on KCR's direct involvement in project design and execution, Harish Rao claimed, 'It is the chief minister's responsibility to review key projects. How can that be called political interference?" He accused the Revanth Reddy-led government of launching a series of 'politically motivated inquiries to divert public attention from its failures". These include probes into power projects, the Kaleshwaram project, and the Formula-E race. Harish Rao, who is KCR's nephew, maintained that the Kaleshwaram project was developed with all necessary permissions and regulatory clearances. He also recalled that judicial commissions set up in the past—including against leaders like Indira Gandhi and N Chandrababu Naidu—had not held up under judicial scrutiny. The judicial commission, appointed by the Congress government, reportedly found the former chief minister 'directly and vicariously" responsible for irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project. The state cabinet, which met on Monday at the Secretariat, discussed and accepted the commission's findings. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said the government would soon convene a session of the Assembly to hold a thorough debate and decide the future course of action. The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, located on the Godavari River in Bhupalpally district, is a multi-purpose irrigation initiative. Damage to its barrages—constructed during the previous BRS regime—emerged as a key issue in the 2023 Assembly elections. In 2024, the Congress government ordered a probe into alleged irregularities surrounding the Bhadradri and Yadadri power projects, also initiated under the BRS administration. The state's Anti-Corruption Bureau filed a case against BRS leader K T Rama Rao, accusing him of sanctioning payments—mostly in foreign currency and without approvals—for hosting the Formula E race in Hyderabad in February 2023, during the BRS rule. Rama Rao held the Municipal Administration portfolio in the BRS government. PTI SJR SJR SSK view comments First Published: August 05, 2025, 20:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Hindu
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Why is Congress protecting the BRS leaders: Bandi Sanjay
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar alleged that the Congress government was protecting the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and siding with the BRS rulers involved in the loot of crores of rupees of public money in the name of Kaleshwaram project, phone tapping and Formula-E cases. 'It is a reflection of the Congress government's incompetence,' he said while speaking to the media in Venkatraopeta village in Medipalli mandal after laying foundation stones for various development works funded by the Central government in Jagtial district on Monday. Taking a dig at the BRS for its threatening tone against the media organisation, Mr. Sanjay alleged that a group of BRS leaders attacked a private Telugu news channel office over a week ago. Now, after a Telugu newspaper published an editorial against them, the BRS leaders were preparing to attack the newspaper and the channel run by the same management, he claimed citing intelligence inputs. 'If the BRS goons who attacked the TV office had been arrested and dealt with strictly, today's situation wouldn't have arisen,' he said. He said the BJP was fully ready to protect democracy and stand by the media. 'Lakhs of our party workers across Telangana will stand in support.' The Minister also alleged that the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) was demolishing the houses of the poor in the name of encroachments, but giving exemptions to Owaisi's college building in the lakebed in the old city of Hyderabad. Mr. Sanjay asked, 'The HYDRAA authorities claim they cannot demolish illegal constructions in Akbaruddin's college because 10,000 students are studying there. But why did they demolish small houses and huts built by poor people in the Musi River catchment areas, who have no source of livelihood or shelter?' The State government owes an explanation over this matter, he said.
Hans India
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Formula E race case: ACB again summons IAS officer Arvind Kumar
Hyderabad: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Telangana has once again summoned senior IAS officer and Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar for questioning in Formula E race case. The agency, which is probing the allegations of unauthorised misuse of government funds, has directed him to appear on Thursday. Arvind Kumar was served notice two days after he returned from a month-long leave. He was summoned a few days after Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and former minister K. T. Rama Rao were questioned by the ACB for the second time. This is the second time Arvind Kumar will face questioning by the ACB in this case. He had earlier appeared before the anti-graft agency in January. He had reportedly informed investigating officials that he transferred funds based on instructions from higher authorities. The ACB on June 16 questioned K. T. Rama Rao (KTR) for nearly eight hours. The former minister had appeared before the ACB on January 9 in the case relating to the conduct of the Formula E race in Hyderabad in January 2023, when BRS was in power. The ACB in December last year booked a case against KTR, former Special Chief Secretary to Government, Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) department, Arvind Kumar and former Chief Engineer of Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) B.L.N. Reddy for alleged Rs 54.88 crore irregularities in the Formula-E deal. The FIR was registered on a complaint by the Principal Secretary to the Government, MA&UD department, M. Dana Kishore, who stated that foreign remittances were made without prior approvals of the relevant regulatory authorities, which resulted in an additional tax burden to HMDA to the tune of Rs. 8.06 crore. The complainant also alleged that the payment was made while the Model Code of Conduct was in effect for the elections to the State Legislative Assembly without any prior approval of the Election Commission of India. The FIR was registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act as well as under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 120B (criminal conspiracy). After appearing before ACB for the second time on June 16, KTR stated that he was not scared of arrest. He said the ACB officials kept repeating a question and asked them to show him corruption in the case. Claiming that the Formula-E race boosted the image of Telangana, he alleged that the actions of the Revanth Reddy government were maligning the state.
NDTV
16-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Formula E Case: Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau Questions KTR For 8 Hours
Hyderabad: Telangana's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) questioned Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President and former minister K. T. Rama Rao in the Formula E case for nearly eight hours on Monday. Rama Rao subsequently returned to BRS headquarters, Telangana Bhavan, to a huge welcome by the party leaders and workers. A tense situation prevailed at the ACB office in Banjara Hills throughout the day as a large number of BRS workers tried to gather to show solidarity with Rama Rao, who had stated in the morning that he may be arrested by the ACB. The ACB officials wanted to seize KTR's mobile phone, but he told them that he was not carrying it. The former minister was directed to surrender his phone he used at the time of the Formula E race by June 18. Talking to media persons at Telangana Bhavan, KTR reiterated that he was not scared of arrest. He said the ACB officials kept repeating a question since morning. He said he asked the ACB officials to show him where is corruption was in the case. Targeting Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, the BRS leader said that ACB officials kept asking questions which they had been given. "Since Revanth Reddy was jailed once, he is trying to jail others just for sadistic pleasure. If I am put in jail, I will take rest. I will not be scared even if a hundred cases are filed and even if I am sent to jail," he said. KTR reached the ACB office in the morning amid tight security for the second round of questioning in the case. He reiterated that the Chief Minister should come forward to undergo a lie detector test. "We both have ACB cases against us. I am ready for a lie-detector test, are you ready?" he asked. Claiming that the Formula-E race boosted the image of Telangana, he alleged that the actions of the Revanth Reddy government were maligning the state. The former minister had appeared before the ACB on January 9 in the case relating to the conduct of the Formula E race in Hyderabad in January 2023, when BRS was in power. The ACB in December last year booked a case against KTR, former Special Chief Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD), Arvind Kumar and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority's (HMDA) former Chief Engineer B.L.N. Reddy for alleged Rs. 54.88 crore irregularities in the Formula-E deal. The FIR was registered on a complaint by Principal Secretary, MA&UD, M. Dana Kishore, who stated that foreign remittances were made without prior approvals of the relevant regulatory authorities, which resulted in additional tax burden to HMDA to the tune of Rs. 8.06 crore. The complainant also alleged that the payment was made while the Model Code of Conduct was in effect for the elections to the state Assembly without any prior approval of the Election Commission. The FIR was registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act as well as under the Indian Penal Code's (IPC) Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).
Hans India
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
ACB questions KTR for eight hours in Formula E case
Hyderabad: Telangana's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) questioned Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President and former minister K. T. Rama Rao in the Formula E case for nearly eight hours on Monday. Rama Rao subsequently returned to BRS headquarters, Telangana Bhavan, to a huge welcome by the party leaders and workers. A tense situation prevailed at the ACB office in Banjara Hills throughout the day as a large number of BRS workers tried to gather to show solidarity with Rama Rao, who had stated in the morning that he may be arrested by the ACB. The ACB officials wanted to seize KTR's mobile phone, but he told them that he was not carrying it. The former minister was directed to surrender his phone he used at the time of the Formula E race by June 18. Talking to media persons at Telangana Bhavan, KTR reiterated that he was not scared of arrest. He said the ACB officials kept repeating a question since morning. He said he asked the ACB officials to show him where is corruption was in the case. Targeting Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, the BRS leader said that ACB officials kept asking questions which they had been given. "Since Revanth Reddy was jailed once, he is trying to jail others just for sadistic pleasure. If I am put in jail, I will take rest. I will not be scared even if a hundred cases are filed and even if I am sent to jail," he said. KTR reached the ACB office in the morning amid tight security for the second round of questioning in the case. He reiterated that the Chief Minister should come forward to undergo a lie detector test. 'We both have ACB cases against us. I am ready for a lie-detector test, are you ready?" he asked. Claiming that the Formula-E race boosted the image of Telangana, he alleged that the actions of the Revanth Reddy government were maligning the state. The former minister had appeared before the ACB on January 9 in the case relating to the conduct of the Formula E race in Hyderabad in January 2023, when BRS was in power. The ACB in December last year booked a case against KTR, former Special Chief Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD), Arvind Kumar and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority's (HMDA) former Chief Engineer B.L.N. Reddy for alleged Rs. 54.88 crore irregularities in the Formula-E deal. The FIR was registered on a complaint by Principal Secretary, MA&UD, M. Dana Kishore, who stated that foreign remittances were made without prior approvals of the relevant regulatory authorities, which resulted in additional tax burden to HMDA to the tune of Rs. 8.06 crore. The complainant also alleged that the payment was made while the Model Code of Conduct was in effect for the elections to the state Assembly without any prior approval of the Election Commission. The FIR was registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act as well as under the Indian Penal Code's (IPC) Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).
