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Former chief of Telangana’s Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB), Prabhakar Rao, appeared before the SIT investigating the phone tapping case registered against him on Monday, June 9. Prabhakar, the main accused in the case during his time as the SIB chief under the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS)-led state government, had returned from the United States on June 8 after the Supreme Court ordered him to do so.
The SIT questioned the retired IPS officer for eight hours based on statements given by other accused in the case—M Thirupathanna, D Praneeth Rao, N Bhujanga Rao and P Radhakishan Rao. Prabhakar has been asked to appear before the SIT again on June 11.
Prabhakar Rao is alleged to have constituted a team within SIB with his trusted aides, including Praneeth Rao, for surveillance of rival political leaders, their families and dissidents within the ruling party, businessmen, journalists and even judges.
The allegations under the previous government of BRS came to light in March last year with the arrest of Deputy Superintendent of Police Praneeth Rao following a complaint from his superior, D Ramesh, Additional SP with the SIB.
The police have so far named six accused in the case. Praneeth Rao, Additional SPs Thirupathanna and Bhujanga Rao and former DCP P Radha Kishan Rao were arrested in the case.
However, the Supreme Court on May 29 directed authorities to arrange an emergency travel document to enable Prabhakar Rao to return. A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma had passed the order on a petition by Prabhakar, challenging the Telangana High Court order dismissing his petition for anticipatory bail.
The bench also barred police from taking any coercive step against Rao till further orders.
(With IANS inputs)