RTI response reveals KCR was in US and Hyderabad at the same time between 30 August and 1 September

Hyderabad: It looks like KCR can be in two places at the same time. There is some confusion regarding the Chief Minister's whereabouts after an RTI revealed that he was in the US from 30 August to 1 September 2016. However, on 30 August 2016, KCR was in a meeting with the then Governor of Telangana E.S.L Narasimhan. Two days later, on 1 September, he met Raja Sadaram in the camp office in Hyderabad after he was elected the Legislature secretary for the third time. This was covered by the media. So where exactly was KCR during the period?

On 27 February, Sudhir had filed an RTI asking for details of the Chief Minister's tours from 2 June 2014 to 15 February 2020. In reply, the general administration department (GAD) said the Chief Minister was in the USA from 30 August to 1 September.

The RTI had further sought details about travel expenditure, officials who accompanied the CM on those tours, and expenditure on the officials. The GAD said that KCR had gone on three foreign tours in six years: Singapore-Malaysia in August 2014, China in September 2015, and the third one, surprisingly, to the USA from 30 August to 1 September in 2016.

The GAD also said that the expenditure details for the first two tours were available with the Telangana industries department while the expenditure details of the US trip was with the department of agriculture and the details were not enclosed. The GAD also revealed the GOs issued for the tours.

The Chief Minister had received an invitation in July 2016 to attend an agricultural conference held from 30 August to 1 September. However, KCR did not attend the conference and was in Hyderabad. The question then arises how was the GO issued? Does the CM know about the GO? Was any amount released without the CM being aware of the US trip? If the GO was issued right after the tour was cancelled, how did Sudhir get such false information through the RTI?