Did Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Appear Before SIT in Phone-Tapping Case?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Bandi Sanjay Kumar appeared before the SIT as a witness.
- The phone-tapping issue emerged shortly after the BRS lost power.
- He claims to be a victim of the tapping.
- Demands include transferring the case to the CBI.
- Several political leaders have already testified in this case.
Hyderabad, Aug 8 (NationPress) Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, made an appearance before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Friday to provide his statement as a witness in the phone-tapping case.
Following his prayers at the Hanuman temple in Khairatabad, the BJP leader, accompanied by a substantial group of supporters, proceeded to the Dilkusha guesthouse for questioning by SIT officials.
The issue of phone tapping by the BRS government emerged in March of the previous year, shortly after BRS lost its hold on power in Telangana.
A multitude of BJP supporters, brandishing party flags and signs, rallied around Bandi Sanjay to demonstrate their solidarity.
Speaking to the media, he affirmed his intent to provide the SIT with all pertinent information and evidence he possesses regarding the case.
Despite receiving a notice from the SIT last month to appear, Bandi Sanjay could not attend due to the ongoing Parliament session.
“As a central minister and a responsible citizen, I will present any information I have to the Investigating Officer,” he stated.
He asserted that he was the first individual to unveil the phone tapping, claiming, “I am the primary victim of this invasion. Not only my phone but also those of my family, household staff, and followers were monitored.”
However, he accused the government of hindering the investigation by not granting full freedom to the SIT officials, alleging that the government was employing delaying tactics under the guise of commissions and inquiries.
He further alleged that the Congress and BRS are collaborating in this drama, as none from the family of former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) has been apprehended yet.
Bandi Sanjay reiterated his call for the case to be transferred to the CBI, arguing that this would reveal the truth.
After receiving the SIT notice on July 17, he remarked that KCR was guilty of the phone tapping but was merely invited as a witness.
Several leaders from various political parties, including Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Mahesh Kumar Goud and BJP MP and former minister Eatala Rajender, have already testified as witnesses before the SIT.
Last year, police apprehended four officials implicated in the case, who have since been released on bail.
The former chief of the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB), Prabhakar Rao, the primary accused in the matter, returned from the United States in June under the Supreme Court's directive. He has been summoned multiple times for questioning by the SIT.
During the BRS administration, a team was allegedly formed within the SIB to monitor the phones of opposition leaders, dissenters within BRS, business figures, celebrities, journalists, and even judges.