Formula E case: Telangana CS seeks DoPT approval to prosecute Arvind Kumar
The case pertains to “unauthorised” and “procedurally violated” payments of around ₹55 crore, including foreign currency transfers, made during the previous BRS government in regard to the formula E race
By - Coreena Suares
Senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar (File Photo)
Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao, has written to Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) seeking prosecution approval of senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar in the Formula E case. The officer is accused 2 in this case.
Earlier Governor of Telangana Jishnu Dev Varma, had given approval to prosecute BRS working president and MLA K.T Rama Rao.
The case pertains to “unauthorised” and “procedurally violated” payments of around ₹55 crore, including foreign currency transfers, made during the previous BRS government in regard to the formula E race.
Hyderabad had hosted Formula E in 2023, but the 2024 edition was cancelled after the Congress government came to power in December 2023.
What is Arvind Kumar’s role in the Formula E case?
In January 2024- soon after the Congress Government came to power, Arvind Kumar, former special chief secretary to government, municipal administration and urban development department was issued a memo for improper approvals of Formula E and paying Rs 46 crores to the company.
In a memo issued on January 6, 2024 by Chief Secretary Shanti Kumari the questions asked are why was the decision taken and why was the money paid without proper approvals from the departments in secretariat.
The letter asks why was the revised agreement for Season-10 Formula E event taken during the Model Code of Conduct. Why was the decision taken without the permission of competent authority?
IAS did not follow rules -
Not following business rules
An amount of Rs 46 cores was paid to Formula E and RS 9 crores as tax from Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority resources. This- ‘even before the agreement was signed, the amount was paid without obtaining the concurrence of HMDA’s Board of Directors as well as the Finance Department of the state government’.
Book laws
According to Article 299 of the Constitution of India, ‘contracts made in the exercise of the executive power of the Union or a State shall be made by the President of Governor of the State. The question raised is ‘why a formal consent from the Competent Authority’ was not taken when a major policy decision involving huge financial commitment or conduct of Formula E was taken.
However, in his reply to the memo, Arvind Kumar said he was following orders of the then Municipal Commissioner K.T.Rama Rao.
Following which, the Anti Corruption Bureau registered a case against former minister K.T Rama Rao, IAS Arvind Kumar and former HMDA Chief Engineer B N Reddy.
