Ex-SIB Chief Surrenders in Hyderabad Phone-Tapping Case
Ex-SIB Chief Surrenders in Hyderabad Phone-Tapping Case
Former Telangana SIB chief T Prabhakar Rao surrendered ahead of custodial interrogation after a Supreme Court directive, as investigators probe alleged unauthorized phone tapping during the prior government.
Hyderabad witnessed a high-profile development on Friday as retired IPS officer and former Telangana Special Intelligence Bureau chief T Prabhakar Rao surrendered before the city police in connection with an alleged unauthorized phone-tapping case during the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi government. Rao appeared before the Special Investigation Team at Jubilee Hills police station at 11:00 am and was taken into custody for seven days of custodial interrogation. The SIT is being led by Jubilee Hills ACP P Venkatagiri, who began questioning Rao regarding his role in the alleged surveillance operations.
A Supreme Court bench comprising Justice B V Nagarathna and Justice R Mahadevan had, in its directive on Rao’s anticipatory bail petition, ordered the custodial interrogation to proceed while ensuring that Rao faces no physical harm during the process. The court also instructed investigators to secure access to relevant data. The government submitted that despite having interim protection earlier, Rao had not cooperated with the inquiry, and that he was asked to reset iCloud passwords and provide access to the data. It was stated that Rao had reset only two passwords, and the data in those two accounts had already been deleted before investigators could access them.
The case centers on alleged surveillance operations during the previous government’s tenure, and the ongoing investigation aims to unearth the full extent of any unauthorized tapping. Rao’s surrender marks a significant step in the legal process as authorities continue to probe the scope and mechanics of the alleged activity.
Cover image source: Former Special Intelligence Branch Chief Prabhakar Rao surrenders in phone tapping case 🔗
