A significant development has unfolded in the Telangana phone-tapping case as a fourth key player has been arrested. The former Deputy Commissioner of Police at the Commissioner’s Task Force, P Radhakrishna Rao, was taken into custody after extensive questioning at the Banjara Hills police station in Hyderabad. This arrest adds to the complexity of the case, which has already caused a stir in the state, especially with general elections looming.
Mr. Radhakrishna Rao, who previously served as the chief security officer to former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) and later as the special task force chief in the city, is now under police custody. This development follows the arrest of two former policemen, Bhujanga Rao and Tirupatanna, who were also questioned at the Banjara Hills police station.
At the heart of this case is the former Telangana Intelligence Bureau chief T Prabhakhar Rao, who is considered the main accused. The scandal involves not just gathering political intelligence but also allegedly using electronic data for blackmailing political leaders, private companies, and celebrities from the Telugu film industry (Tollywood).
Congress leader N Uttam Kumar Reddy has voiced concerns that these activities took place with the knowledge of the leadership of the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government. He expressed confidence that the ongoing investigation will eventually bring the leaders of the BRS under scrutiny.
Meanwhile, the prime accused, T Prabhakhar Rao, is currently in the United States. Investigators are expecting him to cooperate with the probe soon, as a ‘lookout circular’ has been issued against him to prevent his entry or exit from the country unnoticed.
Additionally, another individual named Shravan Rao, suspected of being outside the country, is allegedly involved in setting up the phone-tapping infrastructure using Israeli-origin equipment and servers in a local school.
The case has also led to the arrest of three other police officers, including Additional Superintendents of Police (SP) Bhujanga Rao and Thirupathanna, and Deputy SP Praneeth Rao. The police revealed that Bhujanga Rao and Thirupathanna confessed to illegally monitoring private individuals and destroying evidence related to the phone-tapping.
The scandal has raised serious concerns about privacy and misuse of power, as the list of individuals whose devices were reportedly monitored includes Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, members of the BJP and Congress, and officials from KCR’s party, highlighting the far-reaching implications of this illicit activity.
Sources By Agencies
