Uncovering the Telangana Phone Tapping Scandal: Arrests, Allegations, and Ongoing Investigations

Hyderabad Police has arrested two more Superintendents of Police about the Telangana phone-tapping case. This development is part of the ongoing investigation into alleged phone tapping, as well as the destruction of computer systems and official data.

In an official statement released late Saturday night, it was revealed that Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Thirupathanna and Additional Superintendent of Police N Bhujanga Rao have been apprehended. Both individuals had previously served in key roles within the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) and Intelligence Department, respectively. They were remanded in judicial custody on Sunday.

Unraveling the Telangana Phone Tapping Controversy

The case centers on allegations of extensive phone tapping of political figures, notably Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, during the previous administration led by K Chandrashekar Rao of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

The scandal surfaced following the arrest of Praneeth Rao on March 13, accused of unauthorized profiling of individuals, illegal phone tapping, and the destruction of computer systems and official data. In response, the Telangana government suspended him.

Praneeth Rao’s Arrest Follows Complaint by SIB Additional Superintendent of Police

After a complaint lodged by an additional superintendent of police from the SIB, Praneeth Rao and others were charged at Panjagutta police station. The accusations involve criminal breach of trust, tampering with evidence, and conspiracy.

Allegations suggest that the intelligence team engaged in extortion from businessmen and systematically destroyed evidence, including computers, hard disks, and physical documents.

Whose phone calls were intercepted?

According to reports, over 100,000 phone calls were unlawfully intercepted. Apart from Chief Minister Reddy, investigators suspect that members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, and even the BRS might have been under surveillance.

The team purportedly collected intelligence on political fundraising activities. Furthermore, the accused individuals monitored several Telugu actors and businessmen, allegedly leveraging this information for blackmail purposes.

Key Figures Arrested Amid Ongoing Investigation

Key figures implicated in the scandal include former SIB chief T Prabhakar Rao, suspended DSP D Praneeth Rao, former DCP of Commissioner’s Task Force P Radhakrishna, and a senior executive of a Telugu TV channel. A lookout circular has also been issued against T Prabhakar, who is suspected of fleeing the country after being named as the prime suspect in the case.

The recent arrests of the two senior police officials, Thirupathanna and Bhujanga Rao, are linked to allegations of collusion with suspended DSP D Praneeth Rao. Praneeth Rao was previously arrested for tampering with intelligence information and engaging in illegal phone tapping during the previous administration.

During interrogation, the arrested officers admitted to involvement in various criminal activities, including unauthorized surveillance of private individuals and destruction of evidence.

The investigation into the matter is ongoing.