Hyderabad: In a major development related to the ongoing Telangana phone tapping case, the state police have strongly opposed the anticipatory bail petition filed by T. Prabhakar Rao, the former chief of the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB). Rao, accused of being the mastermind behind an illegal surveillance operation, had approached the Telangana High Court seeking protection from arrest, citing serious health conditions including cancer and heart complications. However, the police contested this claim, stating that there was no recent medical documentation supporting the urgency of his condition. They further pointed out that Rao had even traveled to the United States earlier despite medical advice, undermining the seriousness of his health-related claims.
The police emphasized Rao’s repeated disregard for legal procedures. Senior counsels representing the Telangana Police, including Siddharth Luthra and Palle Nageswara Rao, argued that he had ignored multiple summons, leading to a non-bailable warrant and issuance of a Red Corner Notice. They insisted that custodial interrogation was crucial to unravel the full extent of the phone tapping operation, which allegedly involved illegal surveillance of politicians, journalists, bureaucrats, judges, and businessmen. According to the police, Rao misused his official capacity to carry out unauthorized phone surveillance with the help of select officers in the SIB. Investigators believe this operation may have been politically motivated and have demanded strict legal scrutiny and accountability.
Adding another layer to the case, Sridhar Rao, the managing director of Sandhya Convention and already involved in a separate criminal case, submitted a petition to be impleaded in the bail proceedings. He alleged that he was pressured by Prabhakar Rao to purchase electoral bonds for the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party. These claims, if proven, could further deepen the political implications of the case. Given the seriousness of the allegations and the need for more time, the court adjourned the matter to the following Wednesday for further hearing. As the investigation continues, public interest in the case remains high, with political observers watching closely for any links that may emerge involving top officials or misuse of intelligence agencies in the previous administration.
