Telengana phone tapping case: Ex-SIB chief Prabhakar Rao appears before SIT

Hyderabad: In a significant development, former Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) chief T Prabhakar Rao appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with the sensational phone tapping case.

Rao, a retired IPS officer and the main accused in the case, presented himself at Jubilee Hills police station, where SIT officials and Jubilee Hills ACP Venkata Giri began questioning him over his alleged role in orchestrating illegal phone surveillance during the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government.

His appearance comes nearly 14 months after he left for the United States, following the registration of the case. The scandal involves unauthorized tapping of phones belonging to political leaders, journalists, businesspersons, and even judges.

Special arrangements were made at the police station for the high-profile interrogation. SIT officials are recording Prabhakar Rao’s statement, which is expected to shed crucial light on the alleged illegal surveillance operations conducted during the previous administration.

According to officials, Prabhakar Rao arrived in Hyderabad on Sunday night at 8:20 pm via an Emirates flight from the US, transiting through Dubai. His return was made possible through emergency travel documents, as his passport had been revoked during the course of the investigation.

Rao’s reappearance follows directions from the Supreme Court, which had asked him to cooperate with the investigation. He was named as Accused No. 1 (A1) in the case registered at the Panjagutta Police Station, and is expected to provide crucial information regarding the phone tapping operation

The SIT has already arrested four senior police officials — Praneeth Rao, Radha Kishan Rao, Bhujanga Rao, and Tirupatanna — in connection with the case. Based on the information provided by these accused, the SIT is now interrogating Prabhakar Rao to uncover further details and determine the extent of his involvement.

The case surfaced in March 2023 with the arrest of Praneeth Rao, following a complaint by Additional SP D Ramesh. Investigators claim Prabhakar Rao assembled a trusted team within the SIB to carry out surveillance on opposition politicians, dissenting voices within the ruling party, and members of civil society.

Despite being summoned by the SIT last year, Rao left for the US shortly before the case was officially registered, leading to a proclamation order issued by the Nampally Criminal Court and the revocation of his passport. A Red Corner Notice was also issued during his absence.

Rao's counsel has maintained that the former official is being politically targeted by the current government. The SIT, however, considers his testimony crucial to uncovering the full scope of the surveillance operation.

Notably, Prabhakar Rao’s appearance marks a rare instance in Telangana's history where a retired officer of Inspector General (IG) rank is facing a police investigation of this nature. His testimony is expected to play a pivotal role in unraveling the scope and intent behind the phone tapping network.

This is a developing story