In a significant development in Hyderabad, Police Commissioner and Special Investigation Team (SIT) in-charge VC Sajjanar has firmly dismissed comments made by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) general secretary RS Praveen Kumar against him. The top cop issued a formal notice on Friday, terming the remarks as misleading and demanding concrete evidence within a strict two-day deadline.
Allegations and Swift Rebuttal
Earlier in the day, Praveen Kumar, a former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, had leveled serious allegations against Sajjanar. He claimed that the police commissioner is facing seven criminal cases and, therefore, lacks the moral authority to head the SIT. This team was constituted by the government to investigate alleged phone tapping incidents that occurred during the BRS tenure.
Details of the Accusations
Praveen Kumar elaborated on his allegations by referencing a 2015 incident. He stated that when the current Chief Minister, A Revanth Reddy, was allegedly caught in a bribery case involving a nominated Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), Sajjanar was serving as the Deputy Inspector General in the intelligence wing. At that time, B Shivadhar Reddy was the chief of intelligence.
The BRS leader further asserted that following this episode, Sajjanar and other intelligence officials were implicated in seven cases in Andhra Pradesh. Complainants in these cases accused them of unlawfully intercepting phone communications, raising questions about their conduct and integrity.
Police Commissioner's Strong Response
Hours after these allegations surfaced, Commissioner Sajjanar responded with a detailed notice. He described Praveen Kumar's statement as highly defamatory, reckless, irresponsible, and misleading. The notice emphasized that the allegations were made publicly without providing any supporting particulars or verifiable material, which could severely damage reputations and hinder official duties.
The notice explicitly stated: "By making such allegations publicly, you have not only attempted to lower the reputation and credibility of the SIT and its chief with false and insulting statements, but have also sought to obstruct and hinder the lawful discharge of official duties, besides causing serious prejudice to ongoing investigation and misleading the public."
Demand for Evidence
In a decisive move, the police commissioner called upon Praveen Kumar to furnish complete and specific particulars of the alleged seven criminal cases within two days. The notice read: "You are hereby called upon to furnish complete and specific particulars of the alleged seven criminal cases purportedly registered against the SIT chief within two days."
This development underscores the escalating tensions between law enforcement and political figures in Hyderabad, with the SIT probe into phone tapping allegations becoming a focal point of controversy. The outcome of this notice and the evidence, if any, provided by the BRS leader could have significant implications for the investigation and public trust in the process.
