Phone-Tapping: Noose Tightening Around BRS Leaders

Hyderabad: In a development that can have major political ramifications, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the telephone tapping during the BRS regime, for the first time issued notices to a politic-an – former BRS MLA from Nakrekal Chirumarthi Lingaiah.

Police asked him to appear on Monday but he sought time till Thursday, according to sources.

The SIT teams found that a secret SOT-SIB war room with sophisticated equipment and recording devices was set up in a building that belonged to a YouTube channel owner in Nalgonda district. It was from there that phones of political leaders belonging to opposition parties were tapped, especially during Munugode by-election, a fact that Lingaiah was fully aware of.

It is also reported that two SHO rank officers and two constables were also questioned by police officials dealing with the case.

Meanwhile, two former elected representatives of BRS are likely to be called by the police as part of their investigation.

Reliable police sources said that his CDR (call dialing record) that was obtained by SIT through FSL revealed that he and accused additional DSP M. Thirupatpanna (since arrested) had umpteen conversations when Lingaiah was MLA.

Thirupatanna, who is presently in Chanchalguda central prison, was at that time was posted as in-charge of security arrangements for Munugode by-elections held in 2022.

SIT teams summoning Lingaiah gained significance in the backdrop of revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy reiterating that some political bombs would explode indicating sensational developments involving the top BRS leadership in the next couple of days.

Meanwhile, BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao rushed to New Delhi to meet Union urban development minister Manoharlal Khattar on the pretext of complaining against irregularities in Amrut scheme tenders.

When approached on the phone for his version, Lingaiah said that he was busy and would react soon.