Harish Rao summoned by SIT in phone tapping case

Hyderabad: Former Irrigation Minister in the BRS government and Siddipet MLA T Harish Rao is the latest on the list to be summoned by the Special Investigation Team in the alleged Phone tapping case.

A copy of the summons in possession with NewsMeter stated- The investigation into the Phone tapping case has revealed that you( T Harish Rao ) are acquainted with the few facts and circumstances of this case. SIT has summoned the MLA to appear before the team on January 20th( Tuesday).

The MLA confirmed to NewsMeter on receiving the summons, but did not mention if he would appear before the SIT on the given date. If sources are believed, the top boss of the BRS- former Chief Minister K ChandraShekar Rao- is also likely to be summoned.

The Telangana government has constituted a 10-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar to fast-track the probe into the illegal phone tapping case. The move comes 21 months after a case was registered to investigate the illegal phone tapping case.

Jubilee Hills Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) P Venkatagiri, who has been associated with the investigation from the beginning, has been appointed as the investigating officer of the SIT.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar will head the SIT.

Other members include Amber Kishore Jha (Ramagundam Police Commissioner), SM Vijay Kumar (Siddipet Police Commissioner), Ritiraj (Deputy Commissioner of Police, Madhapur), and K. Narayana Reddy (Deputy Commissioner of Police, Maheshwaram).

M. Ravinder Reddy (Greyhounds Group Commander), K.S. Rao (Additional DCP, Rajendranagar), P. Venkatagiri (ACP, Jubilee Hills (Investigating Officer), C.H. Sridhar (DSP, TGANB), and Nagender Rao (DSP, Hyderabad Metro Rail) will also be part of the team.

The case pertains to allegations of illegal phone tapping carried out through the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) to benefit the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). A complaint in this regard was registered on March 10 last year at Panjagutta Police Station.

The investigation was initially supervised by the then Hyderabad Police Commissioner Kothakota Srinivas Reddy. At different stages, the probe was handled by West Zone DCP S.M. Vijay Kumar and ACP Venkatagiri.

During the early phase of the investigation, retired Task Force DCP Radhakishan Rao, Additional DCPs Bhujanga Rao and Tirupathanna, and ACP Praneeth were arrested and remanded to judicial custody.

Based on their interrogation, former SIB chief Prabhakar Rao was identified as the prime accused, and a charge sheet was filed within 90 days. Prabhakar Rao and another accused, Shravan, had fled to the United States, prompting the police to issue Red Corner Notices and secure their return.

However, investigators faced major hurdles after crucial evidence within the SIB was allegedly destroyed. Prabhakar Rao reportedly told investigators that the destruction of evidence was carried out on the instructions of higher authorities, making the probe more complex.

Despite repeated assertions that questioning senior officials named in Prabhakar Rao’s statements was essential to take the investigation forward, progress stalled due to procedural and permission-related delays.

Sources indicate that the SIT was formed amid criticism that earlier investigations could not move forward effectively due to delays in obtaining mandatory approvals. The new team is expected to expand the probe, including examining allegations that illegal phone tapping was used for intimidation and coercion.

Senior officials are said to have deliberated on the SIT’s composition over the past week before formally issuing orders. The government has also directed the SIT to file the charge sheet at the earliest.

There is speculation that the renewed probe aims to uncover the role of senior officials and political leaders allegedly involved in the illegal surveillance network.

In a related development, the state Home Department had earlier informed the court that phone tapping permissions were granted based on inputs and recommendations provided by the SIB, citing institutional trust in the intelligence wing at the time.