Former Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Hyderabad Police Task Force, P Radhakishan Rao, admitted to being part of phone tapping by some officers in the Telangana Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) during the BRS government in the state.
As per police sources, Radhakishan Rao confessed to surveilling politicians and others under the instructions of then Telangana’s Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) T Prabhakar Rao.
T Prabhakar Rao was identified as the main suspect in a phone tapping scandal in the state. He allegedly failed to “draw the line” when executing orders from the ruling party.
The Hyderabad Police, investigating claims of phone tapping of politicians, officials, activists, and others during the BRS regime, attached Radhakishan Rao’s confession statement to other documents submitted to the Nampally Criminal Court, according to The Indian Express report.
As reported by the publication, Radhakishan Rao informed investigators that those who criticised the K Chandrashekar Rao-led government or were seen as a threat to the party were extensively monitored electronically.
It’s said that instructions regarding political leaders, both from BRS and the opposition, who needed surveillance, were given to former SIB Deputy Superintendent of Police D Praneeth Rao, who was arrested in March in the case.
Praneeth Rao allegedly profiled them and led operations to tap their phones for constant monitoring, the source added.
Among those under surveillance were former IPS officer RS Praveen Kumar, who had joined political parties like BSP and more recently BRS; former BRS leader and MLA Kadiam Srihari, now in Congress; former BRS minister T Rajaiah; former Tandur MLA Patnam Mahender Reddy, now a critic of BRS and recently joined Congress; Congress leader K Jana Reddy and his sons; and several district-level Congress leaders.
Additionally, sources further revealed movements of industrialists, builders, businessmen, journalists, and bureaucrats were monitored to track their communications. When it was found that many were using encrypted platforms like WhatsApp or Snapchat, then SIB chief Prabhakar Rao allegedly ordered the team to track calls using Internet Protocol Data Records.
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