Key Accused in BRS Phone-Tapping Case Still Abroad as Probe Slows
HYDERABAD: Investigation into the phone-tapping case of the BRS government tenure in which several police officers were arrested is progressing at a snail pace.
Though the police officials stated that they were waiting for Interpol's red corner notice for former SIB chief T. Prabhakar Rao, speculation is rife that those who monitored the case earlier were not interested in handling it.
The police have filed a preliminary chargesheet before the court and arrested four police officers — N. Bhujanga Rao, P. Radha Kishan Rao, G. Praneeth Rao and Thirupatanna. The court granted conditional bail for Bhujanga Rao under medical grounds and the remaining three police officers are still lodged in the prison.
The former SIB chief is a key accused in the case and the police officials wrote to the CBI seeking a red corner notice. Prabhakar Rao left for the United States days after the police registered case in the phone-tapping matter. The Interpol is yet to issue a red corner notice following the request of the CBI.
Police officers remained silent over the investigation and were in a wait-and-watch mode till Interpol's red corner notice was issued. Following the latest developments in the police department, the police officials are understood to have asked to focus on legal issues rather than the ongoing probe into the phone tapping case.
When the BRS was in power, Prabhakar Rao and his team including Praneeth Rao allegedly tapped the phones of political leaders, celebrities and journalists. Later, the hard disks were destroyed by Praneeth Rao days before the Congress came to power in the state.