Hyderabad, March 25 (IANS) The Telangana Police are diving deep into the sensational phone tapping case, with three police officials already in custody. As parts of destroyed hard disks resurface in the Musi river, the investigation is heating up.
The damaged hard disks, believed to hold evidence of phone tapping by the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) under the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government, were recovered and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis. Additional arrests are expected as the case progresses.
Two police officers arrested over the weekend, Bhupalpally’s N. Bhujanga Rao and Hyderabad City Police’s Tirupathanna, are now in judicial custody for 14 days. They face charges under Section 409 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 70 of the IT Act for destroying evidence.
Former SIB Chief Prabhakar Rao, along with other officials and a TV channel MD, are being sought in connection with the case. The police are also considering summoning BRS leaders for questioning, as they allegedly directed the tapping of opposition party leaders’ phones. The investigation is uncovering shocking details.
The arrest of DSP D. Praneeth Rao on March 13 for destroying evidence triggered the probe. Following a complaint by ASP D. Ramesh, allegations of unauthorized monitoring and misuse of intelligence information emerged. The SIB’s role in gathering political intelligence is under scrutiny.
Praneeth Rao’s actions, including erasing data and destroying devices after the BRS’s defeat in the elections, raised suspicions. The SIB, primarily an anti-Maoist unit, was reportedly used for political surveillance. The case is shedding light on the covert operations carried out under the previous government’s watch.
As the investigation unfolds, more revelations are expected to come to light. The hunt for key suspects and the involvement of high-ranking officials indicate a complex web of intrigue. The Telangana Police are determined to uncover the truth behind the phone tapping scandal that has sent shockwaves through the state.
–IANS
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