Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao on Sunday alleged that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy orchestrated the fire accident at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Nampally. He claimed the fire was not accidental but a calculated move to destroy critical evidence in the long-pending “vote-for-note” case.
Addressing the media in Hanmakonda, KTR said the incident raised alarming questions. He alleged that the fire was a stage-managed attempt to eliminate forensic records when the case had reached its final legal phase and a verdict was imminent. “This wasn’t a technical failure or a freak event. It was a deliberate act, timed to erase key material,” he said.
He questioned how a blaze could erupt in a high-security lab that is supposed to function round the clock, especially during winter. KTR noted that there was reportedly no staff present at the time, adding to suspicions. “Why was a facility of such importance left unmonitored, especially when it stores evidence linked to high-profile and sensitive cases?” he asked.
He also criticised the conflicting statements issued by the state government following the fire. “Initially, officials claimed there was minor damage. But the FIR filed later revealed that a decade’s worth of evidence dating back to 2015 was completely destroyed. This inconsistency only deepens the suspicion,” he said.
BRS seeks judicial probe, blames Congress-BRS collusion
KTR expressed disbelief at the delayed response to the fire. “It took more than three and a half hours to douse the flames, which were confined to the first floor of a three-storeyed building,” he said. He added that nearly 50 computers, servers, and other digital systems were gutted, including voice samples, DNA records, and other forensic data.
“This wasn’t just about the vote-for-note case,” he said. “Thousands of serious criminal investigations have likely lost key evidence. This affects not just politics, but public safety, legal accountability, and faith in the justice system.”
He accused Chief Minister Revanth Reddy of acting under the protection of influential leaders in Delhi. According to KTR, this political shielding was enabling the destruction of evidence and subversion of justice. “Revanth is paying back his political debt. Just as BRS protected him during the vote-for-note scandal, the Congress is now returning the favour by shielding the KCR family in related cases,” he alleged.
Demanding strong corrective action, KTR urged the Union government to immediately intervene. He called for an investigation by premier central agencies to uncover the truth. “Only a high-level, neutral probe can hold the guilty accountable,” he said.
He also demanded that a retired judge lead an independent judicial inquiry into the fire incident. According to him, only a judicially supervised process can ensure transparency and restore public trust.
Additionally, KTR proposed that an all-party delegation be allowed to visit the damaged FSL facility. He urged the government to facilitate a full briefing by forensic scientists for political parties. “People across Telangana are seeing this as a state-sponsored cover-up. Only a judicial inquiry can establish the facts,” he concluded.