Is Telangana's Phone-Tapping Investigation Turning into a TV Drama?
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Hyderabad, Jan 23 (NationPress) - Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticized the Congress government in Telangana, claiming they are prolonging the investigation into the phone-tapping allegations like a television serial.
He argued that the government lacks the courage to take action against the family of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president and former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR).
While addressing the media in Karimnagar, he made these comments following KCR’s son and BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao (KTR) appearing before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that is examining claims of phone tapping by the previous BRS administration.
The BJP leader accused the Congress government of staging a drama under the guise of an SIT inquiry.
He reiterated that KTR initiated the phone-tapping operations from Sircilla as the base, alleging that numerous families suffered due to his actions.
Bandi Sanjay expressed skepticism regarding any arrests in the case, asserting that the government lacks the backbone to confront the KCR family.
“While there are competent officers in the SIT, they have not been granted the autonomy to act. Have they apprehended even one political figure in this matter?” he questioned.
The MoS added that had the BJP been in power in the state, they would have taken decisive action against KCR’s family.
He called for punishment for all leaders and officials implicated in the phone tapping.
In response to KTR’s remarks, the BJP leader clarified that the phone tapping in Telangana cannot be equated to that done for national security. He claimed that phones belonging to actresses, businesspeople, political leaders, and judges were surveilled under the pretext of targeting Maoists.
Bandi Sanjay had previously testified before the SIT in August of last year as a witness.
He subsequently alleged that KCR had tapped the phones of his daughter K. Kavitha, son-in-law Anil Kumar, and nephew, then minister T. Harish Rao.
He claimed that during the BRS regime, the phones of politicians were tapped under the guise of combating Maoists, resulting in the embezzlement of thousands of crores.
The BJP leader accused KCR and KTR of exploiting the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) for personal gains, despite the agency's intended role in monitoring Maoist activities.