Ex-Intel Bureau Chief Named Accused No 1 In Phone-Tapping Case In Telangana

Former state intelligence bureau chief T Prabhakar Rao has been named as the prime accused or the 'Accused No 1' in the illegal phone tapping case.

The authorities have released a lookout notice in the name of Rao, who is believed to have absconded to the United States.

The former intelligence chief is accused of ordering the illegal tapping of phones during the previous BRS regime. Alongside Rao, police have also issued notices against the former Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Commissioner's Task Force, P Radhakrishna, and a senior executive of a Telugu TV channel.

In connection with the case, two additional superintendents of police were arrested by the Hyderabad Police for allegedly destroying certain computer systems and official data. The arrested police officials, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Thirupathanna and Additional Superintendent of Police N Bhujanga Rao, had previously served in the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) and Intelligence Department, respectively. They were remanded to judicial custody on Sunday.

The two additional superintendents of police were accused 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.

"During questioning, the two police officials confessed to their involvement in the reported crimes, including conspiracy to monitor private persons illegally by developing their profiles, abusing their official positions; to cause disappearance of evidence by destroying public property to conceal their involvement in collusion with the already arrested D. Praneeth Kumar alias Praneeth Rao, DSP (under suspension), and some other persons," the release said. Further investigation is under progress, a release said.

The Police had earlier said that Praneeth Rao was arrested on charges of developing profiles of unknown individuals, monitoring them without authorization, and illegally destroying certain computer systems and official data. Rao, who was recently suspended by the Telangana government, served as a DSP during the previous BRS administration and later worked in the office of the Director General of Police (DGP).

He had previously faced allegations of phone tapping involving opposition party leaders.