By N. Vamsi Srinivas

Copyright deccanchronicle

Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi working president K.T. Rama Rao landed in a soup for roaming in a “smuggled” luxury car purchased by a company owned by his wife Shailima.S.K. Car Lounge owner Basrath Khan, who was arrested by the directorate of revenue intelligence a few months ago, admitted during the investigation that the Land Cruiser 300 with registered number TG09D6666 used by Rama Rao was among eight luxury cars that were imported by undervaluing the price. As per Section 2(39) of the Customs Act, 1962, the car used by Rama Rao falls under the meaning of smuggled goods and worst embarrassment could be its confiscation under the provisions of Section 111 of the Customs Act. The car used by Rama Rao was registered in the name of Athome Hospitality Services Pvt Ltd, where his wife Shailima is a director. Other luxury cars included Rolls Royce Cullinan and Lexus besides Land Cruisers. The intelligence officer of DRI filed a detailed affidavit before the Special Judge for Economic Offences at Nampally, the copy of which is available with Deccan Chronicle, explaining the modus operandi adopted to import Rama Rao’s car. In a statement given before Additional Director General, DRI, Ahmedabad, on February 4, 2005, Khan admitted that he did not declare true transaction value before customs and that he had undervalued the imported cars. The loss of import duty was estimated at `7 crore. For instance, the imported car dealer declared the price of a Land Cruiser 300 as Rs.20.91 lakh, Rolls Royce Rs.1.24 cr and Lexus Rs.50.08 lakh. The car dealer, however, offered to pay the differential duties of customs evaded during the import of cars, including the one owned by Rama Rao, according to the DRI. “It is not just the purchase of smuggled car by Rama Rao but the actual amount he paid for the car and the source of income should also be probed,” Medak MP M. Raghunandan Rao told Deccan Chronicle. The BJP MP shot off letters in May 2025, to central agencies DRI, Income Tax, Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate seeking thorough probe into the possible money laundering by the BRS working president. “The transaction makes both the buyer and the seller equal beneficiaries of the act of conspiracy for smuggling and criminally denying the government of India its due custom duty. Therefore, it is fundamental to assume that the end-beneficiary of the entire illegal transaction, who failed to pay proper excise duty, is Rama Rao,” the BJP MP said in his complaint to the agencies. BJP leaders seek probe, BRS gives meek reply Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi working president K.T. Rama Rao roaming in a “smuggled” luxury car kicked up a political controversy with Union minister of state for home Bandi Sanjay, raising serious questions on payments made to buy the smuggled car.In a sarcastic post on social media platform X, the minister wondered if the “car party is running on smuggled luxury cars and why is Twitter Tillu seen in Land Cruisers imported by scam accused Basarath Khan arrested by the DRI, Ahmedabad.” Sanjay also said he would request the agencies to investigate whether the car was purchased at the original cost or undervalued price and if payments were made through money laundering or masked income. The BRS, though reacted, was very meek in countering the BJP. Instead of reacting to the allegations of whether Rama Rao purchased a smuggled car, party spokesperson Dasoju Sravan demanded that the investigation should cover the purchase of luxury cars by Congress and BJP leaders. Another BRS leader Krishank Manne also echoed a similar demand that all those purchased cars from Basarath should be arrested. He also accused Sanjay of targeting Rama Rao and sparing Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who the BRS leader alleged, is protecting the Union minister from illegal collections from granite owners. Important Points:KTR’s wife Shailima’s company Athome Hospitality purchased Land Cruiser 300 D from car smuggler Basarath Khan The car with chassis number JTMAA7BJ804088756 was manufactured on January 1, 2024. As per the records seized from Basarath, the car was imported on November 22, 2024 but the registration was done on January 17, 2025. Life tax of Rs.30.69 lakh were paid Car Make – Number – Owner Land Cruiser – TG09D6666 – Athome Hospitality Land Cruiser – TG09A0009 – Pallapu Goverdhan Land Cruiser – TS09GF6119 – Md Naseeruddin Lexus Lx500D – Unregistered – Ayaan Educational Society Lexus Lx500D – TG092112 – Sama Anvesh Reddy, Ventura Estate Developers