Snooping case: HC tells police not to arrest Harish Rao, Radhakishan Rao

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday issued stay orders and stopped investigation into the phone tapping case against former minister T. Harish Rao, former DCP P. Radhakishan Rao and others at Panjagutta police station.

The court directed the Panjagutta police to halt the investigation till March 3, on which day the court would hear the quash petitions filed by Harish Rao and Radhakishan Rao.

Earlier, the court had issued interim orders restraining the police from arresting the two. Meanwhile, the police, barring these two, arrested the other three accused and sent them to prison.

On Wednesday, the public prosecutor Palle Nageshwar Rao requested adjournment to submit the police contention in the quash petitions filed by Harish Rao and Radhakishan Rao. As the senior counsel from the Supreme Court, who was engaged by the police, was not available to submit the arguments on Wednesday, the public prosecutor requested time till March first week.

But, counsel for Harish Rao submitted to the court that the police were seeking the adjournment with an intention to arrest his client. He also brought to the notice of the court that the police had arrested the other accused from whom they also took confession statements.

Based on the statements, the police were trying to initiate steps against the petitioners, he said. Hence, he requested the court to stay the investigation till the disposal of the quash petitions.

But, the court stayed the investigation till March 3 and adjourned the quash petitions for hearing on that day.