Hyderabad, June 11 (IANS) The Telangana Special Intelligence Bureau’s (SIB) former chief, T. Prabhakar Rao, on Wednesday once again appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the phone tapping case.

The former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, who was quizzed by the SIT for nearly eight hours on June 9, appeared before the investigators at Jubilee Hills Police Station.

Prabhakar Rao, named as the prime accused in the case, is reportedly being questioned on the basis of the statements of suspended police officers D. Praneeth Rao, Bhujanga Rao and M. Thirupathanna, and former DCP Radha Kishan Rao, who were arrested earlier and are currently out on bail.

The SIT is probing Prabhakar Rao’s alleged role in establishing and operating an illegal surveillance network, as well as the misuse of state machinery during his tenure as SIB chief when Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) was in power.

West Zone DCP SM Vijay Kumar and Jubilee Hills ACP Venkatagiri were questioning him about the purpose of the team constituted by him in the SIB and its activities.

The phones of political leaders, businessmen, celebrities, journalists, members of civil society, and even judges were allegedly tapped under Rao’s direction.

The team constituted had allegedly tapped the phones of opposition leaders during the 2023 elections and earlier during the by-election to Munugode constituency in 2022.

The SIT officials were also reportedly questioning him about the hard disks, which were allegedly stolen and destroyed after the change of government in December 2023.

Prabhakar Rao, who had been evading questioning since the case was registered at the Punjagutta police station in March 2024, returned to India on June 8 and after spending over 15 months in the United States. The next day, he appeared before the SIT.

The phone tapping allegations came to light in March last year with the arrest of Deputy Superintendent of Police Praneeth Rao following a complaint from his superior, Additional SP, SIB, D. Ramesh.

Prabhakar Rao had left for the US just before the case was registered against him. The SIT had issued notices to him to appear before it.

As he failed to return and appear before the SIT, he was declared an absconder, and his passport was also revoked.

However, the Supreme Court on May 29 directed authorities to arrange an emergency travel document to enable Prabhakar Rao to return.

The apex court 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.

On the Supreme Court’s direction, he gave an undertaking that he would return to India soon after receiving an emergency travel document and cooperate with the investigation.

–IANS

ms/vd