Telangana Phone Tapping Row:
A big revelation has happened in the Telangana phone tapping case, In fact, DCP P Radhakishan Rao, who arrested in the case of large-scale phone tapping during the BRS government, has confessed his involvement in phone tapping by some officers of the Special Intelligence Bureau while they were in power.
It is worth mentioning that phone tapping was done during the tenure of KCR led BRS government.
The arrested police officer P Radhakishan Rao said in his confession that the phones of many big opposition leaders, journalists, judges and lawyers were tapping. Along with this, they were also monitored through WhatsApp and other internet calls. The former DCP told the police that K.Chandrasekhar Rao wanted to make a compromise with BJP Santosh in the alleged MLA horse-tapping case and getting his daughter Kavitha, who is involved in the Delhi Liquor Scam, to come to an agreement with the BJP.
It is worth mentioning that after the formation of Congress government in the state, a case was registered in Hyderabad’s Panjagutta Police Station in the phone tapping case. So far, the then task force DCP Radhakrishna Rao and Intelligence DSP Pranith Rao, who were very close to the then government, have been involved in the investigation of this case. Apart from this, Thirupathanna, Additional DCP, CSW, Hyderabad City Police, formerly Additional SP, SIB and N Bhujanga Rao, Additional SP, Bhupalapally, formerly Additional SP, Bhupalapally, formerly Additional SP, Intelligence Department have been arrested.
Accused of destroying evidence on the orders of Prabhakar Rao
During the police interrogation, D. Praneeth Rao and P. Radhakishan Rao have confessed about their involvement in the crimes. Which includes conspiracy to illegally monitor private individuals by creating profiles of them by misusing their positions. Already arrested in the case are D Praneeth Kumar alias Praneeth Rao, DSP (suspended), who was earlier employed in SIB, and some other persons to hide their involvement in destroying evidence by destroying public property.
CM Revanth Reddy and his family members’ phones were tapped
According to the police, the arrested police officers are accused of tapping the phones of the current Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, his family members and close ones as well as many other people. On the other hand, after the defeat of the BRS government, they also destroyed the hard disks, computers and other things that were in the intelligence Department. However, in the phone tapping case, Pranith Rao was arrested first and finally DCP Radhakrishna who had resigned as soon as the Congress government came to power. He has been arrested after interrogation.
Congress and BJP target BRS in phone tapping case
According to the remand report of former task force Chief Radhakrishna Rao, the former intelligence chief had specially formed a special operation group to keep an eye on BRS’s political rivals and to conduct surveillance on them. He worked for the victory of 2018 and 2023 assembly elections and targeted the opposition.
However, now the sword of arrest in this case is also hanging on the then Intelligence Chief and IPS T Prabhakar Rao, who has been made the main accused in this case. An arrest warrant has also been issued against him from the court. Rao is believed to be in America. Meanwhile, the ruling party Congress and BJP have surrounded former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao and his son and former minister KTR and nephew and former minister Harish Rao in this case.
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KCR threatens legal action
Meanwhile, denying the allegations against him, former CM K. Chandrashekhar Rao has threatened legal action. BRS Working President and former minister KTR has sent a legal notice to Telangana minister Konda Surekha and Congress leaders who accused of phone tapping. In this notice, KTR has demanded an unconditional apology or be ready for legal a
Phone tapping was not limited to political figures.
Radha Kishan Rao has revealed that prominent personalities under surveillance included MLC Shambhipur Raju who has a dispute with Qutubullapur MLA, T. Rajaiah? Warangal’s BRS leader Kadiyam Srihari, unhappy with the BRS MLA and Tandur MLA. He also tapped the part’s P Mahender Reddy and his wife. Apart from this, phones of opposition party candidates including retired IPS RS Praveen Kumar, some media personalities like Narendra Chaudhary of NTV and Radhakrishna of ABN were also tapped.
Use of Internet Protocol Date Records
Former DCP Rao revealed that several businessmen in the real a state sectors were also monitored to keep an eye on their activities and associations. This snooping led to many political leaders, members of the judiciary and bureaucrats avoiding direct phone calls, instead opting for encrypted communication platforms like WhatsApp, Signal and Snapchat. In response, Prabhakar Rao and his team started recording Internet Protocol Date to track internet calls.
On the instructions of the then intelligence department chief Prabhakar Rao, the phone of BRS MLAs trying to join BJP were tapping. In which some people along with Rohit Reddy were trying to join BJP. Apart from this, after the information of Chandrashekhar Rao a sting operation was conducted on the middleman who came to Moinabad Farmhouse for discussion, and he was arrested.
There was a plan to arrest BL Santosh. The plan was to stop BL Santosh and save Kavitha from the liquor scam. However, KCR was angry as the efforts to arrest BJP leader BL Santosh failed. Apart from this, CM Revanth Reddy and his family members were monitored. Along with this, the phones of many BJP leaders and supporters of MP Arvind were tapped.
Police officers arrested BRS team during assembly elections
A particularly disturbing element of this entire racket involves INews Journalist Shravan Kumar. Rao’s confession indicated that during the elections in October and November 2023, Shravan Kumar maintained direct contact with Prabhakar Rao at the behest of then minister T. Harish Rao. Shravan Kumar facilized the flow of information from opposition party leaders and their financial supporters to the SIB.
He provided inputs for the seizure of money from rival leaders and assisted Praneet Kumar’s team in online trolling campaigns against critics of the BRS party. The use of state resources for this political espionage has raised serious ethical and legal questions.
Phones of Congress and BJP supporters were also tapped.
Another official N Bhujanga Rao, who was accessed by ABP News, said that Bhujanga Rao tapped the phones of those who worked against the BRs party. Bhujanga Rao tapped the phone of those who provided financial assistance to the BJP and Congress parties. Along with this, the phones of opposition leaders, student leaders and journalists were tapped. Not only this, the phones and vehicles of the family members of the opposition leaders were also tracked. Apart from this, the phones of Congress and BJP supporters were also tapped.
Bhujanga Rap made many settlements at the behest of BRS leaders.
At the same time, in October, the Election Commission transferred Radhakrishna Rao and many others. In his confession, Bhujanga Rao said that our plan was to bring BRS to power for the third time. Whereas, on the instructions of BRs leaders, Bhujanga Rao settled personal disputes. In which many disputes of companies, VIPs and businessmen were settled on the instructions of BRS leaders.
Forced to buy electronic bonds with Rs 13 crores.
Apart from this, before the assembly elections, a large amount of money was taken from two private hospitals as per the orders of BRS leaders and the money was transported in task force vehicle. Along with this, Bhujanga Rao said that Sandhya Sridhar Rao was forced to buy electronic bonds worths Rs 13 crores. If he did not agree, we tortured him in criminal cases.
Special arrangements were made for Kommareddy’s elections. In this, special surveillance was kept on BJP candidate Venkatasami Reddy, Revanth Reddy’s brother Kondal Reddy. Along with this, those who criticize the BRS government led by K. Chandrashekhar Rao or who are considered a threat to the party are put under intense electronic surveillance.