March 26, 2024
NEW DELHI – The Hyderabad police has named former Telangana Intelligence Bureau chief T Prabhakhar Rao as accused no. 1 in the case of alleged phone-tapping of Opposition leaders during the previous BRS government.
Rao, who is believed to be in the US, allegedly ordered tapping of phones of Opposition leaders.
A look out notice has been issued by the police in his name and two senior police officials have been arrested in the case.
The two arrested officers — Additional DCP of CSW Thirupathanna and Additional SP of Bhupalpally N. Bhujanga Rao were Saturday remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.
In 2022, then Telangana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan had alleged that her phone was being tapped.
However, the then BRS government had denied the accusations and said that everyone knows who is tapping phones with the help of Pegasus.
“Everybody knows who is tapping how many phones with the help of Pegasus,” said T Harish Rao, minister of finance and senior TRS leader, pointing a finger at the NDA government at the Centre.
The issue became a major flashpoint between the BRS and the Opposition during the last year’s Telangana assembly elections.