Hyderabad, Jan 20 (NationPress) As he prepares to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the phone tapping allegations, BRS leader T. Harish Rao has labeled the SIT notice he received as a 'silly drama' orchestrated by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. Rao claims that his summons stems from his revelations regarding the corruption involving the Chief Minister and his family members.

The BRS leader stated that he is undeterred by notices and legal challenges, having faced numerous such situations since the days of the Telangana movement. Speaking to reporters outside his residence in Kokapet, alongside BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao and other party officials, he expressed his determination to confront the allegations.

Rao accused the Chief Minister of attempting to distract the public from corruption revelations by issuing the SIT notice shortly after he exposed the scam related to coal block tenders involving the Chief Minister’s brother-in-law. He received the notice at 9 p.m., instructing him to report to the SIT by 11 a.m. the following day. Rao affirmed his respect for the law and his intention to comply.

He emphasized his lack of fear, asserting he has committed no wrongdoing, and noted that both the Telangana High Court and the Supreme Court had previously dismissed phone-tapping charges against him, deeming them unfounded. Rao pointed out that the latest drama is merely a continuation of tactics used against him.

The SIT notice issued to Harish Rao cites section 160 of Cr.P.C., indicating that the investigation has revealed his connection to several facts pertinent to the case. The inquiry pertains to allegations that during the BRS administration, the phones of various individuals—including political opponents, businesspeople, journalists, and even judges—were unlawfully tapped.

The phone tapping controversy first emerged in March 2024, with former Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) chief T. Prabhakar Rao identified as the primary suspect. Other accused include Deputy Superintendent of Police D. Praneeth Rao, Additional SPs Thirupathanna and N. Bhujanga Rao, former DCP Radha Kishan Rao, and a television channel owner, Sravan Kumar.

In a related matter concerning phone tapping allegations against Harish Rao, the Supreme Court dismissed the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the state government on January 5, upholding earlier rulings by the Telangana High Court that quashed the FIR from the Panjagutta police station, citing a lack of evidence linking Rao to the alleged phone tapping.

This case originated from a complaint made in 2024 by Chakradhar Goud, a real estate businessman from Siddipet, who claimed that his phone was tapped at the behest of Harish Rao and former DCP Radha Kishan Rao during the previous BRS government.