Former Telangana Chief Minister Formally Summoned in Phone Surveillance Probe
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Telangana police has taken a significant step in the ongoing phone tapping investigation by issuing a formal notice to former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, popularly known as KCR. This marks the first instance where the ex-CM has been directly summoned to record his statement regarding allegations of unauthorized surveillance that reportedly occurred during the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) administration.
Notice Served at Residence with Legal Provisions Invoked
To deliver the summons, SIT officials visited KCR's residence located at Nandi Nagar in the upscale Banjara Hills area of Hyderabad. The notice was served under Section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), a provision that carries specific implications for the questioning process.
Given that KCR is over 65 years of age, the SIT notice explicitly offers him the option to choose a convenient location within Hyderabad for the examination, as permitted by the cited legal section. While the initial summons requests his appearance at the Jubilee Hills Police Station on January 30, the flexibility provision acknowledges both his status and age considerations.
Expanding Investigation with Multiple BRS Leaders Questioned
The SIT has been systematically expanding its probe, having already recorded statements from several key figures connected to the case:
- KT Rama Rao (KCR's son and BRS Working President) appeared before the SIT on January 23
- T Harish Rao (KCR's nephew and senior party MLA) was questioned on January 20
- Joginipally Santosh Kumar, another nephew of the former CM, has also provided his statement
Additionally, numerous other BRS leaders have been summoned and interrogated in recent weeks as the investigation intensifies, indicating the probe's comprehensive scope across the political spectrum.
Background of the High-Profile Phone Tapping Case
The phone tapping case centers on serious allegations of widespread unauthorized surveillance and illegal interception of communications during the BRS regime. According to police statements, the surveillance operation reportedly targeted a diverse range of individuals including:
- Politicians from various parties
- Prominent business figures
- Journalists and media personnel
- Members of the judiciary
- Other eminent personalities
The investigation has identified former Telangana intelligence chief T Prabhakar Rao as the prime accused in the case, who has already undergone questioning by the SIT. Furthermore, Hyderabad Police have arrested four police officials since March 2024, including a suspended DSP of the Telangana Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB), for their alleged involvement in erasing intelligence data from electronic devices and participating in the unauthorized phone-tapping activities.
All four arrested officials were subsequently granted bail, but the legal proceedings continue as the SIT methodically pieces together the chain of command and operational details of the alleged surveillance network.
This development represents a crucial phase in the investigation, potentially bringing investigators closer to understanding the extent and authorization behind the controversial surveillance operations that have raised significant concerns about privacy and political interference in Telangana.
