Former principal secretary of MAUD Arvind Kumar also reportedly sought and obtained consent to appear on 9 January.
Published Jan 03, 2025 | 8:49 AM ⚊ Updated Jan 03, 2025 | 8:49 AM
Formula E race. (Supplied)
Former Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) chief engineer BLN Reddy, the third accused in the Formula E Race case, did not appear as summoned before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Hyderabad on Thursday, 2 January.
According to sources, Reddy reportedly sought and obtained consent from the ED to appear before them on 8 January.
Sources said that the then principal secretary of Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Arvind Kumar, who has to appear before the ED on Friday, also reportedly sought and obtained consent to appear on 9 January.
The ED summoned former MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao (KTR), the primary accused in the case, to appear before them on 7 January. It is not yet known if he will present himself before the ED on the appointed date or seek more time.
The ED which filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) a day after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) booked the trio in the case recently, is probing whether there were any violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) in the transfer of ₹45 crore to Formula E Operations (excluding taxes) in pound sterling for the conduct of the race in Hyderabad in February 2024 which finally did not take place.
The money was transferred out of Hyderabad from the Himayatnagar Branch of the Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) in two instalments in 2023.
The ED is also probing how the funds were transferred from the bank without Reserve Bank of India (RBI) clearance and whether the bank had followed the rules that govern moving currency out of India. The ED is also looking if there was any written authorisation from the HMDA to the IOB to transfer the amount.
Meanwhile, Rama Rao obtained relief from the Telangana High Court when it asked the ACB not to arrest him until the case is disposed of, whenever it happens.
It, however, said the state probe agency could proceed with the investigation, which means that the ACB could still summon the accused in the case for questioning.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
