Is Former Telangana CM KCR Being Questioned in a Phone-Tapping Case?
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Hyderabad, Jan 29 (NationPress) In a notable turn of events in the phone tapping investigation in Telangana, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has called upon Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) President and former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) for questioning.
The SIT has issued a notice to KCR, requesting his presence for interrogation at 3 p.m. on Friday (January 30).
SIT officials delivered the notice to KCR's residence located in Nandinagar within Banjara Hills on Thursday.
In light of KCR's age, Investigation Officer P. Venkatagiri has indicated that he may voluntarily appear at the Jubilee Hills Police Station or suggest any other convenient location within Hyderabad for the questioning.
The notice, issued under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code, states that the investigation has uncovered that KCR possesses knowledge of facts and circumstances pertinent to the case, making his testimony essential.
This case involves allegations of phone tapping targeting numerous political adversaries, business figures, journalists, and even judges during the previous BRS administration.
The summons for KCR came shortly after the SIT interrogated several prominent BRS officials and his family members regarding the matter.
Former MP Joginipally Santosh Rao, KCR's nephew, was questioned for over seven hours on Tuesday.
KCR's son and BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao was interrogated for more than seven hours on January 23.
Another nephew, former minister T. Harish Rao, faced over seven hours of questioning by the SIT on January 20.
Earlier, the SIT had also questioned BRS MLC K. Naveen Rao, along with former MLAs Jaipal Yadav and C. Lingaiah, regarding the same case.
The team also interviewed Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay, BJP MPs Eatala Rajender and M. Raghunandan Rao, along with Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee President B. Mahesh Kumar Goud and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's brother Kondal Reddy as witnesses and victims.
The phone tapping allegations first came to light in March 2024, leading to an FIR being lodged under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act, and the Information Technology Act at the Panjagutta Police Station in Hyderabad.
Reports suggest that a specialized team was allegedly formed within the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) during the BRS administration to conduct phone tapping on various individuals.
Former SIB chief Prabhakar Rao is identified as the primary accused in this matter. 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.