Phone tapping case: Ex-SIB chief under police radar

Hyderabad: Former State Intelligence Bureau Chief T Prabhakar Rao is under police radar. The former intelligence Chief called a top police official on phone and informed he was undergoing cancer treatment in the United States of America. He said that he will return in July. Meanwhile, the arrested police officers D Praneeth Rao and N Bhujanga Rao disclosed noted realtors, jewelers and some influential businessmen phones were also tapped.

Following the arrest of two additional SPs Thirupathanna and N Bhujanga Rao on Saturday, the Hyderabad police has named former SIB chief Prabhakar and former deputy commissioner of police (task force) P Radha Krishna Rao for their alleged involvement in an illegal phone tapping case. A Look Out Circular has been issued in the name of Prabhakar Rao. According to the police, ex-SIB chief on-call to a top officer informed that he has been undergoing treatment of the cancer and would be returning back to the country following the treatment in the month of July.

It was alleged that the accused watched phones of about 50 political leaders cutting across party lines, realtors and other businessmen were tapped illegally. Police have also issued notice against then P Radha Krishna.

Prabhakar Rao was the SIB chief during K Chandrashekar Rao regime and has reportedly absconded to the United States. He allegedly ordered the illegal tapping of phones during the previous regime and allegedly tasked Praneeth Rao, who was his subordinate, and several other SIB officers with the job of carrying out surveillance. Meanwhile, the Punjagutta police filed a petition before the court seeking custody of two Additional SPs Thirupathanna, and Bhujanga Rao who were arrested on Saturday. The Punjagutta police said the two police officers have confessed about their involvement in the crimes. Also, the officials had allegedly caused disappearance of evidence by destroying the public property to conceal their involvement in collusion with Praneeth Rao and some other persons. So far, two circle inspector working in Warangal police Commissionerate, two additional superintendents of police were arrested of colluding with suspended DSP of the SIB, D Praneeth Rao, who was earlier arrested by Hyderabad police for allegedly erasing the intelligence information from various electronic gadgets as well as for alleged phone tapping during the previous BRS government.